Design and fabrication of a light trapping method for photovoltaic devices based on plasmonic gratings

► We model the optical response of Ag plasmonic crystals on Si3N4-coated Si substrates. ► Resonances suitable for light trapping in bulk and thin-film solar cells are highlighted. ► Plasmonic gratings are effective in enhancing absorption in thin-film devices. ► A process for the nanofabrication of Ag gratings on large areas is proposed. ► Reflectance spectra on fabricated samples validate the modelling results.