Effect of Silver Nanoparticles with Indium Tin Oxide Thin Layers on Silicon Solar Cells

Abstract

AThe effect of localized surface plasmon on silicon substrates was studied using silver nanoparticles. The nanoparticles were formed by self-arrangement through the surface energy using rapid thermal annealing (RTA) technique after the thin nanolayer of silver was deposited by thermal evaporation. By the theoretical calculation based on Mie scattering and dielectric function of air, indium tin oxide (ITO), and silver, the strong peak of scattering cross section of silver nanoparticles was found at 358 nm for air, and 460 nm for ITO, respectively. Accordingly, the strong suppression of reflectance under the condition of induced light of 30 degrees occurred at the specific wavelength which is almost in accordance with peak of scattering cross section. When the external quantum efficiency was measured using silicon solar cells with silver nanoparticles, there was small enhancement peak near the 460 nm wavelength in which the light was resonated between silver nanoparticles and ITO.