Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) as an anti-reflective coating for crystalline silicon solar cells

Abstract

Enhancing the performance of the solar cells is a very challenging task and to prevent surface reflections of solar rays is one of the ways. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are novel inorganic-organic crystalline porous materials and MOFs enable emerging applications each day as an active research field. One of the key factors in minimizing reflections of the silicon solar cell is refractive indices of the used materials. Herein, structural and optical properties of a single-layer (SL) MOF and a double-layer (DL) CeO2/MOF thin film are examined as an effective absorber and texture surfaces for crystalline silicon solar cells. Though the SL MOF thin film reduces the reflections on crystal silicon surfaces, with the synergy between MOF and CeO2 layers, a significant reduction of reflections is obtained. The average reflection value for the DL CeO2/MOF thin films reaches as low as 4.81%. The efficiency of the CeO2/MOF thin film was calculated by a solar cell capacitance simulator (SCAPS). According to the SCAPS simulations, the efficiency of the CeO2/MOF thin film coated solar cell as an anti-reflective layer increases from 13.77 to 21.92% compared to the uncoated solar cell, resulting in a total efficiency increase of 8.15%. Graphical abstract: (Figure presented.) Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) as an Anti-Reflective Coating for Crystalline Silicon Solar Cells.