c-Si/n-ZnO-based flexible solar cells with silica nanoparticles as a light trapping metamaterial.

Herein, we report the fabrication of flexible solar cells based on a crystalline p-Si/n-ZnO heterostructure for the first time. An enhancement of ∼52% in the base efficiency was achieved by the application of spherical SiO nanoparticles as light trapping structures on the top. The use of ZnO not only offers a facile route of synthesis, but also provides an additional advantage of large band bending, leading to notable open circuit voltage and formation of an intermediate ultra-thin barrier layer of ZnSiO for minimized carrier recombination.

Black silicon solar cell: analysis optimization and evolution towards a thinner and flexible future.

Analysis and optimization of silicon nano-structured geometry (black silicon) for photovoltaic applications has been reported. It is seen that a unique class of geometry: micro-nanostructure has the potential to find a balance between the conflicting interests of reduced reflection for wide angles of incidence, reduced surface area enhancement due to the nano-structuring of the substrate and reduced material wastage due to the etching of the silicon substrate to realize the geometry itself. It is established that even optimally designed micro-nanostructures would not be useful for conventional wafer based approaches.