Efficiency simulations of top surface light management structures for concentrator solar cells using RCWA and detailed balance theory

Currently the most efficient solar cells are based on III–V semiconductor materials. When combined with Concentrated Photovoltaic (CPV) systems, the efficiency is further increased and the required amount of semiconductor material is decreased, which makes CPV a potential candidate to achieve low cost solar energy [1]. Light management is the combination of antireflective and light trapping effects that occur when e.g., texturing the interfaces. In this paper we report on simulations of antireflective structures with weak angular dependence on the incident angle at the top of the homogenizer and between the homogenizer and a GaAs solar cell, which are needed for approaching the theoretical efficiency limit [2].