Cell performance of a-Si:H translucent solar cells with various buffers utilizing light reflected by a backside mirror

•We fabricated a-Si:H translucent solar cells with various n/i- buffer layers.•The double buffered cells were most effective for obtaining high efficiency.•The efficiency of translucent cells was improved when backside mirror was installed.•Thin double buffered cells show high efficiency improved by 21% in using mirror.

a-Si:H translucent solar cells with various n/i- buffer layers were fabricated. We employed single buffer and double buffers with different thickness in the fabrication of translucent cells. Compared to the cell without n/i- buffers, cell efficiency increases from 5.7% to 6.5% when double buffer layers were used. For further increase of cell efficiency for translucent cells, a backside mirror that reflects the transmitted light was installed and re-absorption of the reflected light was feasible. Interestingly, it was revealed that the thin double buffered cell was the most effective configuration, acquiring approximately 21% higher efficiency. Proper design of optical thickness and arrangement of buffer layers is required to effectively utilize incident and reflected light.

Graphical abstractIn order to achieve the re-absorption of reflected light in penetration type a-Si:H translucent cells, a backside mirror was installed. By optimizing configurations of n/i buffer layers, the efficiency was improved by 21%.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide