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(1 - 12 of 12)
- Title
- Dynamically Tunable Plasmonic Structural Color.
- Creator
-
Franklin, Daniel, Chanda, Debashis, Peale, Robert, Leuenberger, Michael, Wu, Shintson, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Functional surfaces which can control light across the electromagnetic spectrum are highly desirable. With the aid of advanced modeling and fabrication techniques, researchers have demonstrated surfaces with near arbitrary tailoring of reflected/transmitted amplitude, phase and polarization - the applications for which are diverse as light itself. These systems often comprise of structured metals and dielectrics that, when combined, manifest resonances dependent on structural dimensions. This...
Show moreFunctional surfaces which can control light across the electromagnetic spectrum are highly desirable. With the aid of advanced modeling and fabrication techniques, researchers have demonstrated surfaces with near arbitrary tailoring of reflected/transmitted amplitude, phase and polarization - the applications for which are diverse as light itself. These systems often comprise of structured metals and dielectrics that, when combined, manifest resonances dependent on structural dimensions. This attribute provides a convenient and direct path to arbitrarily engineer the surface's optical characteristics across many electromagnetic regimes. But while many of these plasmonic systems struggle to compete with the efficiency of pre-existing technologies, the ability to tune plamsonic structures post-fabrication is a distinct advantage which may lead to novel devices. In this work, I will summarize fundamental and applied aspects of tunable plasmonic systems as applied to the visible and infrared regimes. I will demonstrate how liquid crystal may be used to dynamically and reversibly tune the plasmonic resonances of metallic surfaces on a millisecond time scale. For the visible, this results in dynamic color-changing surfaces capable of covering the entire RGB color space and which is compatible with active addressing schemes. I will then show the application of these concepts to infrared absorbers through the use of liquid crystal and phase change materials. The later of these devices can find use in infrared data/image encoding, thermal management and camouflage. Together, these works explore the limits of tunable plasmonic systems and the novel devices they might lead to.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2018
- Identifier
- CFE0007001, ucf:52052
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007001
- Title
- Leveraging the Intrinsic Switching Behaviors of Spintronic Devices for Digital and Neuromorphic Circuits.
- Creator
-
Pyle, Steven, DeMara, Ronald, Vosoughi, Azadeh, Chanda, Debashis, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
With semiconductor technology scaling approaching atomic limits, novel approaches utilizing new memory and computation elements are sought in order to realize increased density, enhanced functionality, and new computational paradigms. Spintronic devices offer intriguing avenues to improve digital circuits by leveraging non-volatility to reduce static power dissipation and vertical integration for increased density. Novel hybrid spintronic-CMOS digital circuits are developed herein that...
Show moreWith semiconductor technology scaling approaching atomic limits, novel approaches utilizing new memory and computation elements are sought in order to realize increased density, enhanced functionality, and new computational paradigms. Spintronic devices offer intriguing avenues to improve digital circuits by leveraging non-volatility to reduce static power dissipation and vertical integration for increased density. Novel hybrid spintronic-CMOS digital circuits are developed herein that illustrate enhanced functionality at reduced static power consumption and area cost. The developed spin-CMOS D Flip-Flop offers improved power-gating strategies by achieving instant store/restore capabilities while using 10 fewer transistors than typical CMOS-only implementations. The spin-CMOS Muller C-Element developed herein improves asynchronous pipelines by reducing the area overhead while adding enhanced functionality such as instant data store/restore and delay-element-free bundled data asynchronous pipelines.Spintronic devices also provide improved scaling for neuromorphic circuits by enabling compact and low power neuron and non-volatile synapse implementations while enabling new neuromorphic paradigms leveraging the stochastic behavior of spintronic devices to realize stochastic spiking neurons, which are more akin to biological neurons and commensurate with theories from computational neuroscience and probabilistic learning rules. Spintronic-based Probabilistic Activation Function circuits are utilized herein to provide a compact and low-power neuron for Binarized Neural Networks. Two implementations of stochastic spiking neurons with alternative speed, power, and area benefits are realized. Finally, a comprehensive neuromorphic architecture comprising stochastic spiking neurons, low-precision synapses with Probabilistic Hebbian Plasticity, and a novel non-volatile homeostasis mechanism is realized for subthreshold ultra-low-power unsupervised learning with robustness to process variations. Along with several case studies, implications for future spintronic digital and neuromorphic circuits are presented.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2019
- Identifier
- CFE0007514, ucf:52658
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007514
- Title
- Self-Scaling Evolution of Analog Computation Circuits.
- Creator
-
Pyle, Steven, DeMara, Ronald, Vosoughi, Azadeh, Chanda, Debashis, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Energy and performance improvements of continuous-time analog-based computation for selected applications offer an avenue to continue improving the computational ability of tomorrow's electronic devices at current technology scaling limits. However, analog computation is plagued by the difficulty of designing complex computational circuits, programmability, as well as the inherent lack of accuracy and precision when compared to digital implementations. In this thesis, evolutionary algorithm...
Show moreEnergy and performance improvements of continuous-time analog-based computation for selected applications offer an avenue to continue improving the computational ability of tomorrow's electronic devices at current technology scaling limits. However, analog computation is plagued by the difficulty of designing complex computational circuits, programmability, as well as the inherent lack of accuracy and precision when compared to digital implementations. In this thesis, evolutionary algorithm-based techniques are utilized within a reconfigurable analog fabric to realize an automated method of designing analog-based computational circuits while adapting the functional range to improve performance. A Self-Scaling Genetic Algorithm is proposed to adapt solutions to computationally-tractable ranges in hardware-constrained analog reconfigurable fabrics. It operates by utilizing a Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) algorithm that operates synergistically with a Genetic Algorithm (GA) to adaptively scale and translate the functional range of computational circuits composed of high-level or low-level Computational Analog Elements to improve performance and realize functionality otherwise unobtainable on the intrinsic platform. The technique is demonstrated by evolving square, square-root, cube, and cube-root analog computational circuits on the Cypress PSoC-5LP System-on-Chip. Results indicate that the Self-Scaling Genetic Algorithm improves our error metric on average 7.18-fold, up to 12.92-fold for computational circuits that produce outputs beyond device range. Results were also favorable compared to previous works, which utilized extrinsic evolution of circuits with much greater complexity than was possible on the PSoC-5LP.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2015
- Identifier
- CFE0005866, ucf:50873
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005866
- Title
- Experiments in Graphene and Plasmonics.
- Creator
-
Smith, Christian, Ishigami, Masa, Peale, Robert, Mucciolo, Eduardo, Chanda, Debashis, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Graphene nanoribbons, graphene based optical sensors, and grating based plasmonics are explored experimentally. Graphene nanoribbons exhibit highly insulating states that may allow for graphene based digital applications. We investigate the sensitivity of these states to local charged impurities in ultra high vacuum. We look into the possibility of isolating two-dimensional films of H-BN and BSCCO, and test for any interesting phenomena. We also assess graphene's applicability for optical...
Show moreGraphene nanoribbons, graphene based optical sensors, and grating based plasmonics are explored experimentally. Graphene nanoribbons exhibit highly insulating states that may allow for graphene based digital applications. We investigate the sensitivity of these states to local charged impurities in ultra high vacuum. We look into the possibility of isolating two-dimensional films of H-BN and BSCCO, and test for any interesting phenomena. We also assess graphene's applicability for optical sensing by implementing a new style of spectral detector. Utilizing surface plasmon excitations nearby a graphene field-effect transistor we are able to produce a detector with wavelength sensitivity and selectivity in the visible range. Finally, we study another plasmonic phenomenon, and observe the resonant enhancement of diffraction into a symmetry-prohibited order in silver gratings.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2014
- Identifier
- CFE0005887, ucf:50874
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005887
- Title
- Frequency Selective Detection of Infrared Radiation in Uncooled Optical Nano-Antenna Array.
- Creator
-
Modak, Sushrut, Chanda, Debashis, Schoenfeld, Winston, Fathpour, Sasan, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Mid-infrared (mid-IR) detection and imaging over atmospheric transparent 3-5 ?m and 8-12 ?m bands are increasingly becoming important for various space, defense and civilian applications. Various kinds of microbolometers offer uncooled detection of IR radiation. However, broadband absorption of microbolometers makes them less sensitive to spectrally resolved detection of infrared radiation and the fabrication is also very tedious involving multiple complex lithography steps. In this study, we...
Show moreMid-infrared (mid-IR) detection and imaging over atmospheric transparent 3-5 ?m and 8-12 ?m bands are increasingly becoming important for various space, defense and civilian applications. Various kinds of microbolometers offer uncooled detection of IR radiation. However, broadband absorption of microbolometers makes them less sensitive to spectrally resolved detection of infrared radiation and the fabrication is also very tedious involving multiple complex lithography steps. In this study, we designed an optical nano-antenna array based detector with narrow frequency band of operation. The structure consists of a two-element antenna array comprised of a perforated metallic hole array coupled with an underneath disk array which trap incident radiation as dipole currents. The energy is dissipated as electron plasma loss on the hole-disk system inducing close to ~100% absorption of the incident radiation. This near perfect absorption originates from simultaneous zero crossing of real component of permittivity and permeability due to the geometrical arrangement of the two antenna elements which nullifies overall charge and current distributions, prohibiting existence of any propagating electromagnetic modes at resonance. Moreover, the continuous perforated film allows probing of the induced (")micro-current(") plasma loss on each nano hole-disk pair via a weak bias current. Such optical antenna design enables flexible scaling of detector response over the entire mid-infrared regime by change in the antenna dimensions. Furthermore, the development of simple nanoimprint lithography based large area optical antenna array fabrication technique facilitates formation of low cost frequency selective infrared detectors.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2014
- Identifier
- CFE0005845, ucf:50932
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005845
- Title
- Hybrid Integrated Photonic Platforms and Devices.
- Creator
-
Chiles, Jeffrey, Fathpour, Sasan, Vodopyanov, Konstantin, Khajavikhan, Mercedeh, Chanda, Debashis, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Integrated photonics has the potential to revolutionize optical systems by achieving drastic reductions in their size, weight and power. Remote spectroscopy, free-space communications and high-speed telecommunications are critical applications that would benefit directly from these advancements. However, many such applications require extremely wide spectral bandwidths, leading to significant challenges in their integration. The choice of integrated platform influences the optical...
Show moreIntegrated photonics has the potential to revolutionize optical systems by achieving drastic reductions in their size, weight and power. Remote spectroscopy, free-space communications and high-speed telecommunications are critical applications that would benefit directly from these advancements. However, many such applications require extremely wide spectral bandwidths, leading to significant challenges in their integration. The choice of integrated platform influences the optical transparency and functionality which can be ultimately achieved. In this work, several new platforms and technologies have been developed to meet these needs. First, the silicon-on-lithium-niobate (SiLN) platform is discussed, on which the first compact, integrated electro-optic modulator in the mid-infrared has been demonstrated. Next, results are shown in the development of the all-silicon-optical-platform (ASOP), an ultra-stable suspended membrane approach which offers broad optical transparency from 1.2 to 8.5 um and enables efficient nonlinear frequency conversion in the mid-IR. This fabrication approach is then taken further with (")anchored-membrane waveguides,(") (T-Guides) enabling single-mode and single-polarization waveguiding over a span exceeding 1.27 octaves. Afterward, a new photonic technology enabling integrated polarization beam-splitters and polarizers over unprecedented bandwidths is introduced, called topographically anisotropic photonics (TAP). Next, results on high-performance microphotonic chalcogenide glass waveguides are presented. Finally, several integrated photonics concepts suitable for further work will be discussed, such as augmentations to T-Guides and a novel technique for quasi-phase-matching.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2016
- Identifier
- CFE0006447, ucf:51408
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006447
- Title
- Nanoplasmonics In Two-dimensional Dirac and Three-dimensional Metallic Nanostructure Systems.
- Creator
-
Safaei, Alireza, Chanda, Debashis, Leuenberger, Michael, Mucciolo, Eduardo, Tetard, Laurene, Zhai, Lei, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Surface plasmons are collective oscillation of electrons which are coupled to the incident electric field. Excitation of surface plasmon is a route to engineer the behavior of light in nanometer length scale and amplifying the light-matter interaction. This interaction is an outcome of near-field enhancement close to the metal surface which leads to plasmon damping through radiative decay to outgoing photons and nonradiative decay inside and on the surface of the material to create an...
Show moreSurface plasmons are collective oscillation of electrons which are coupled to the incident electric field. Excitation of surface plasmon is a route to engineer the behavior of light in nanometer length scale and amplifying the light-matter interaction. This interaction is an outcome of near-field enhancement close to the metal surface which leads to plasmon damping through radiative decay to outgoing photons and nonradiative decay inside and on the surface of the material to create an electron-hole pair via interband or intraband Landau damping. Plasmonics in Dirac systems such as graphene show novel features due to massless electrons and holes around the Dirac cones. Linear band structure of Dirac materials in the low-momentum limit gives rise to the unprecedented optical and electrical properties. Electronical tunability of the plasmon resonance frequency through applying a gate voltage, highly confined electric field, and low plasmon damping are the other special propoerties of the Dirac plasmons. In this work, I will summarize the theoretical and experimental aspects of the electrostatical tunable systems made from monolayer graphene working in mid-infrared regime. I will demonstrate how a cavity-coupled nanopatterned graphene excites Dirac plasmons and enhances the light-matter interaction. The resonance frequency of the Dirac plasmons is tunable by applying a gate voltage. I will show how different gate-dielectrics, and the external conditions like the polarization and angle of incident light affect on the optical response of the nanostructure systems. I will then show the application of these nanodevices in infrared detection at room temperature by using plasmon-assisted hot carriers generation. An asymmetric nanopatterned graphene shows a high responsivity at room temperature which is unprecedented. At the end, I will demonstrate the properties of surface plasmons on 3D noble metals and its applications in light-funneling, photodetection, and light-focusing.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2019
- Identifier
- CFE0007904, ucf:52746
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007904
- Title
- Cavity-Coupled Plasmonic Systems for Enhanced Light-Matter Interactions.
- Creator
-
Vazquez-Guardado, Abraham, Chanda, Debashis, Christodoulides, Demetrios, Abouraddy, Ayman, Moharam, Jim, Leuenberger, Michael, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Light-matter interaction is a pivotal effect that involves the synergetic interplay of electromag- netic fields with fundamental particles. In this regard localized surface plasmons (LSP) arise from coherent interaction of the electromagnetic field with the collective oscillation of free electrons in confined sub-wavelength environments. Their most attractive properties are strong field en- hancements at the near field, highly inhomogeneous, peculiar temporal and spatial distributions and...
Show moreLight-matter interaction is a pivotal effect that involves the synergetic interplay of electromag- netic fields with fundamental particles. In this regard localized surface plasmons (LSP) arise from coherent interaction of the electromagnetic field with the collective oscillation of free electrons in confined sub-wavelength environments. Their most attractive properties are strong field en- hancements at the near field, highly inhomogeneous, peculiar temporal and spatial distributions and unique polarization properties. LSP systems also offer a unique playground for fundamental electromagnetic physics where micro-scale systemic properties can be studied in the macro-scale. These important properties and opportunities are brought up in this work where I study hybrid cavity-coupled plasmonic systems in which the weak plasmonic element is far-field coupled with the photonic cavity by properly tuning its phase. In this work I preset the fundamental understand- ing of such a complex systems from the multi-resonance interaction picture along experimental demonstration. Using this platform and its intricate near fields I further demonstrate a novel mech- anism to generate superchiral light: a field polarization property that adds a degree of freedom to light-matter interactions at the nanoscale exploited in advanced sensing applications and surface effect processes. Finally, the detection of non-chiral analytes, such as proteins, neurotransmit- ters or nanoparticles, and more complex chiral analytes, such as proteins and its conformation states, amino acids or chiral molecules at low concentrations is demonstrated in several biosensing applications. The accompanied experiential demonstrations were accomplished using the nanoim- printing technique, which places the cavity-coupled hybrid plasmonic system as a unique platform towards realistic applications not limited by expensive lithographic techniques.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2018
- Identifier
- CFE0007418, ucf:52708
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007418
- Title
- Mode coupling in space-division multiplexed systems.
- Creator
-
Liu, Huiyuan, Li, Guifang, Likamwa, Patrick, Amezcua Correa, Rodrigo, Chanda, Debashis, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Even though fiber-optic communication systems have been engineered to nearly approach the Shannon capacity limit, they still cannot meet the exponentially-growing bandwidth demand of the Internet. Space-division multiplexing (SDM) has attracted considerable attention in recent years due to its potential to address this capacity crunch. In SDM, the transmission channels support more than one spatial mode, each of which can provide the same capacity as a single-mode fiber. To make SDM practical...
Show moreEven though fiber-optic communication systems have been engineered to nearly approach the Shannon capacity limit, they still cannot meet the exponentially-growing bandwidth demand of the Internet. Space-division multiplexing (SDM) has attracted considerable attention in recent years due to its potential to address this capacity crunch. In SDM, the transmission channels support more than one spatial mode, each of which can provide the same capacity as a single-mode fiber. To make SDM practical, crosstalk among modes must be effectively managed. This dissertation presents three techniques for crosstalk management for SDM. In some cases such as intra-datacenter interconnects, even though mode crosstalk cannot be completely avoided, crosstalk among mode groups can be suppressed in properly-designed few-mode fibers to support mode group-multiplexed transmission. However, in most cases, mode coupling is unavoidable. In free-space optical (FSO) communication, mode coupling due to turbulence manifests as wavefront distortions. Since there is almost no modal dispersion in FSO, we demonstrate the use of few-mode pre-amplified receivers to mitigate the effect of turbulence without using adaptive optics. In fiber-optic communication, multi-mode fibers or long-haul few-mode fibers not only suffer from mode crosstalk but also large modal dispersion, which can only be compensated electronically using multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) digital signal processing (DSP). In this case, we take the counterintuitive approach of introducing strong mode coupling to reduce modal group delay and DSP complexity.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2019
- Identifier
- CFE0007831, ucf:52806
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007831
- Title
- Nano and nanostructured materials for optical applications.
- Creator
-
Chantharasupawong, Panit, Thomas, Jayan, Hagan, David, Kik, Pieter, Gaume, Romain, Chanda, Debashis, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
Nano and nanostructured materials offer unique physical and chemical properties that differ considerably from their bulk counterparts. For decades, due to their fascinating properties, they have been extensively explored and found to be beneficial in numerous applications. These materials are key components in many cutting-edge optic and photonic technologies, including photovoltaics, waveguides and sensors. In this dissertation, the uses of nano and nanostructured materials for optical...
Show moreNano and nanostructured materials offer unique physical and chemical properties that differ considerably from their bulk counterparts. For decades, due to their fascinating properties, they have been extensively explored and found to be beneficial in numerous applications. These materials are key components in many cutting-edge optic and photonic technologies, including photovoltaics, waveguides and sensors. In this dissertation, the uses of nano and nanostructured materials for optical applications are investigated in the context of optical limiting, three dimensional displays, and optical sensing. Nanomaterials with nonlinear optical responses are promising candidates for self-activating optical limiters. In the first part of this study, optical limiting properties of unexplored nanomaterials are investigated. A photoacoustic detection technique is developed as an alternative characterization method for studying optical nonlinearities. This was done with an indigenously developed setup for measuring the photoacoustic signals generated from samples excited with a pulse laser. A theoretical model for understanding the experimental observations is presented. In addition, the advantages of this newly developed technique over the existing methods are demonstrated. Blending optical sensitizers with photoconducting polymers and chromophores results in a polymer composite that is able to record a light grating. This composite can be used as recording media in 3D holographic display technology. Here, 2D nano materials, like graphenes, are used as optical sensitizers to improve the response time of a photorefractive polymer. The addition of graphenes to a PATPD/ECZ/7-DCST composite results in a three-fold enhancement in response time and therefore faster recording speed of the medium. The faster build-up time is attributed to better charge generation and mobility due to the presence of graphenes in the composite. Lastly, a facile nanofabrication technique is developed to produce metallic nanostructures with a tunable plasmonic response. The enhancement of the light-matter interactions due to these nanostructures in sensing an analyte is demonstrated.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2015
- Identifier
- CFE0006029, ucf:51016
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006029
- Title
- Study of Surface Passivation Behavior of Crystalline Silicon Solar Cells.
- Creator
-
Ali, Haider, Schoenfeld, Winston, Coffey, Kevin, Gaume, Romain, Thomas, Jayan, Chanda, Debashis, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
To achieve efficiencies approaching the theoretical limit of 29.4% for industrially manufactured solar cells based on crystalline silicon, it is essential to have very low surface recombination velocities at both the front and rear surfaces of the silicon substrate. Typically, the substrate surfaces feature contacted and uncontacted regions, and recombination should be limited for both to maximize the energy conversion efficiency.Uncontacted silicon surfaces are often passivated by the...
Show moreTo achieve efficiencies approaching the theoretical limit of 29.4% for industrially manufactured solar cells based on crystalline silicon, it is essential to have very low surface recombination velocities at both the front and rear surfaces of the silicon substrate. Typically, the substrate surfaces feature contacted and uncontacted regions, and recombination should be limited for both to maximize the energy conversion efficiency.Uncontacted silicon surfaces are often passivated by the deposition of silicon nitride (SiNx) or an aluminum oxide film with SiNx as capping layer (Al2O3/SiNx stack). Further, proper surface preparation and cleaning of Si wafers prior to deposition also plays an important role in minimizing surface recombination. In the present work, the effect of various cleans based on different combinations of HCl, HF, HNO3, and ozonated deionized water (DIO3) on surface passivation quality of boron-diffused and undiffused {100} n-type Cz Si wafers was studied. It was observed that for SiNx passivated Si, carrier lifetime was strongly influenced by cleaning variations and that a DIO3-last treatment resulted in higher lifetimes. Moreover, DIO3+HF+HCl?HF?DIO3 and HNO3?HF?HNO3 cleans emerged as potential low-cost alternatives to HCl/HF clean in the photovoltaics industry.Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies were carried out to get insight into the origin of variation in carrier lifetimes for different cleans. Changes in the surface cleans used were not found to have a significant impact on Al2O3/SiNx passivation stacks.ivHowever, an oxide-last cleaning step prior to deposition of SiNx passivation layers was found to create a 1-2 nm SiOx tunnel layer resulting in excellent carrier lifetimes.For contacted regions, low surface recombination can be achieved using passivated carrier selective contacts, which not only passivate the silicon surface and improve the open circuit voltage, but are also carrier selective. This means they only allow the majority carrier to be transported to the metal contacts, limiting recombination by reducing the number of minority carriers. Typically, carrier selectivity is achieved using a thin metal oxide layer, such as titanium oxide (TiO2) for electron-selective contacts and molybdenum oxide (MoOx) for hole-selective contacts. This is normally coupled with a very thin passivation layer (e.g., a-Si:H, SiOx) between the silicon wafer and the contact.In the present work, TiO2-based electron-selective passivated rear contacts were investigated for n-type c-Si solar cells. A low efficiency of 9.8% was obtained for cells featuring a-Si:H/TiO2 rear contact, which can be attributed to rapid degradation of surface passivation of a-Si:H upon FGA at 350(&)deg;C due to hydrogen evolution leading to generation of defect states which increases recombination and hence a much lower Voc of 365 mV is obtained. On the other hand, 21.6% efficiency for cells featuring SiO2/TiO2 rear contact is due to excellent passivation of SiO2/TiO2 stack upon FGA anneal, which can be attributed to the presence of 1-2 nm SiO2 layer whose passivation performance improves upon FGA at 350(&)deg;C whereas presence of large number of oxygen vacancies in TiO2-x reduces rear contact resistivity.vLikewise, MoOx-based contacts were investigated as hole-selective front contacts for an n-type cell with a boron-doped emitter. It has been previously reported that cell efficiencies up to 22.5% have been achieved with silicon heterojunction solar cells featuring a front contact wherein MoOx is inserted between a-Si:H(i) and hydrogenated indium oxide (IO:H). However, device performance and FF degrades upon annealing beyond 130(&)deg;C. In this work, contact resistivity measurements by TLM technique in combination with TEM studies revealed that degradation of device performance is due to oxygen diffusion into MoOx upon annealing in air which reduces concentration of oxygen vacancies in MoOx and increases contact resistivity. The increase in contact resistivity reduces FF resulting in deterioration of device performance.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2017
- Identifier
- CFE0006554, ucf:51351
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006554
- Title
- Light Trapping in Thin Film Crystalline Silicon Solar Cells.
- Creator
-
Boroumand Azad, Javaneh, Chanda, Debashis, Peale, Robert, Del Barco, Enrique, Flitsiyan, Elena, Schoenfeld, Winston, University of Central Florida
- Abstract / Description
-
This dissertation presents numerical and experimental studies of a unified light trapping approach that is extremely important for all practical solar cells. A 2D hexagonal Bravais lattice diffractive pattern is studied in conjunction with the verification of the reflection mechanisms of single and double layer anti-reflective coatings in the broad range of wavelength 400 nm - 1100 nm. By varying thickness and conformity, we obtained the optimal parameters which minimize the broadband...
Show moreThis dissertation presents numerical and experimental studies of a unified light trapping approach that is extremely important for all practical solar cells. A 2D hexagonal Bravais lattice diffractive pattern is studied in conjunction with the verification of the reflection mechanisms of single and double layer anti-reflective coatings in the broad range of wavelength 400 nm - 1100 nm. By varying thickness and conformity, we obtained the optimal parameters which minimize the broadband reflection from the nanostructured crystalline silicon surface over a wide range of angle 0(&)deg;-65(&)deg;. While the analytical design of broadband, angle independent anti-reflection coatings on nanostructured surfaces remains a scientific challenge, numerical optimization proves a viable alternative, paving the path towards practical implementation of the light trapping solar cells. A 3 (&)#181;m thick light trapping solar cell is modeled in order to predict and maximize combined electron-photon harvesting in ultrathin crystalline silicon solar cells. It is shown that the higher charge carrier generation and collection in this design compensates the absorption and recombination losses and ultimately results in an increase in energy conversion efficiency. Further, 20 (&)#181;m and 100 (&)#181;m thick functional solar cells with the light trapping scheme are studied. The efficiency improvement is observed numerically and experimentally due to photon absorption enhancement in the light trapping cells with respect to a bare cell of same thickness.
Show less - Date Issued
- 2017
- Identifier
- CFE0006936, ucf:51654
- Format
- Document (PDF)
- PURL
- http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006936
