Photon shifting and trapping in perovskite solar cells for improved efficiency and stability.

Advanced light management techniques can enhance the sunlight absorption of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). When located at the front, they may act as a UV barrier, which is paramount for protecting the perovskite layer against UV-enabled degradation. Although it was recently shown that photonic structures such as Escher-like patterns could approach the theoretical Lambertian-limit of light trapping, it remains challenging to also implement UV protection properties for these diffractive structures while maintaining broadband absorption gains.

Colloidal Lithography for Photovoltaics: An Attractive Route for Light Management.

The pursuit of ever-more efficient, reliable, and affordable solar cells has pushed the development of nano/micro-technological solutions capable of boosting photovoltaic (PV) performance without significantly increasing costs. One of the most relevant solutions is based on light management via photonic wavelength-sized structures, as these enable pronounced efficiency improvements by reducing reflection and by trapping the light inside the devices. Furthermore, optimized microstructured coatings allow self-cleaning functionality via effective water repulsion, which reduces the accumulation of dust and particles that cause shading.

Optimal-Enhanced Solar Cell Ultra-thinning with Broadband Nanophotonic Light Capture.

Recent trends in photovoltaics demand ever-thin solar cells to allow deployment in consumer-oriented products requiring low-cost and mechanically flexible devices. For this, nanophotonic elements in the wave-optics regime are highly promising, as they capture and trap light in the cells' absorber, enabling its thickness reduction while improving its efficiency. Here, novel wavelength-sized photonic structures were computationally optimized toward maximum broadband light absorption.