Current Collection Enhancement in Ultra-thin CdTe Photovoltaic Device by Implementation of Plasmonic Back Reflectors

Plasmonic back reflectors are a promising technique for incorporating light trapping into thin film photovoltaic (PV) devices. In this paper, plasmatic back reflectors for use in Cite devices are investigated. Theoretical calculations based on the Mie theory were performed for several types of dielectric media that are relevant for Cite PV devices. Incorporation of these reflectors into devices show improvements in current collection associated with plasmatic profile of reflector layers. Using transfer matrix method and the angular dependence of the nanoparticle scattering, a simulation method was developed to further investigate the effect of plasmatic back reflectors in current collection for a wider range of nanoparticle size and distribution parameters.