Light-trapping properties of the Si inclined nanowire arrays

The light trapping performance of Si nanowire with different inclination angles were systematically studied by COMSOL Multiphysics. The inclined nanowires with inclination angles smaller than 60° show greater light trapping ability than their counterparts of the vertical nanowires. The Si solar cell with the inclined nanowires of the optimal parameters, whose θ=30°, P=400 nm, D=140 nm, can achieve a 32.395 mA/cm2 short circuit photocurrent density and a 35.655% conversion efficiency. The study of the inclined nanowire provides an effective way for further utilization of the incoming light.