Rigorous optical modeling and optimization of thin‐film photovoltaic cells with textured transparent conductive oxides

Typical thin‐film photovoltaic (PV) cells incorporate a textured transparent conductive oxide to enhance light trapping and efficiently harvest solar energy. Rigorous coherent optical simulations of these devices and a complete characterization of these textured films are a challenging problem because of the several orders of magnitude difference between the wavelengths of interest and the spatial dimension of the sample that needs to be evaluated. In this paper, a practical approach for rigorous and predictive modeling of optical properties of thin‐film PV cells incorporating a vast variety of light‐trapping structures including semi‐coherent textured films and patterned coherent structures is presented. In contrast to the existing semi‐empirical device models, it is demonstrated that the presented methodology can accurately predict the scattering properties of textured fluorine‐doped tin oxide and aluminum‐doped zinc oxide conductive transparent films. It is further shown that the optical response of single‐junction and tandem‐junction PV devices incorporating such films can also be predicted with good accuracy as compared with the measured results. Next, a methodology to identify the sufficient statistical fingerprints of semi‐coherent textured films that are needed to unambiguously predict the light propagation in thin‐film cells is presented. This comprehensive approach then lends itself to identifying the optimal surface morphology needed for strong light trapping. This rigorous approach automatically includes the effects of important loss mechanisms such as the surface plasmon‐enhanced absorption in textured metal surfaces that are otherwise very difficult to account for semi‐coherent approaches based on scalar scattering theory. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Wearable Force Touch Sensor Array Using a Flexible and Transparent Electrode

Transparent electrodes have been widely used for various electronics and optoelectronics, including flexible ones. Many nanomaterial‐based electrodes, in particular 1D and 2D nanomaterials, have been proposed as next‐generation transparent and flexible electrodes. However, their transparency, conductivity, large‐area uniformity, and sometimes cost are not yet sufficient to replace indium tin oxide (ITO). Furthermore, the conventional ITO is quite rigid and susceptible to mechanical fractures under deformations (e.g., bending, folding). In this study, the authors report new advances in the design, fabrication, and integration of wearable and transparent force touch (touch and pressure) sensors by exploiting the previous efforts in stretchable electronics as well as novel ideas in the transparent and flexible electrode. The optical and mechanical experiment, along with simulation results, exhibit the excellent transparency, conductivity, uniformity, and flexibility of the proposed epoxy‐copper‐ITO (ECI) multilayer electrode. By using this multi‐layered ECI electrode, the authors present a wearable and transparent force touch sensor array, which is multiplexed by Si nanomembrane p‐i‐n junction‐type (PIN) diodes and integrated on the skin‐mounted quantum dot light‐emitting diodes. This novel integrated system is successfully applied as a wearable human–machine interface (HMI) to control a drone wirelessly. These advances in novel material structures and system‐level integration strategies create new opportunities in wearable smart displays.     

数字全息法测量透明物体变形的修正

采用数字全息可以测量透明物体的厚度变形场,但我们此前的研究忽略了应力导致的折射率变化,给测量带来了误差,本文对这个问题进行了讨论,修正了物光的相位变化与物体厚度变形间的关系。相较于修正前的公式,新增加了一个修正项,通过测量带孔有机玻璃试件在均布拉伸载荷作用下的厚度变形,并将测量结果与理论计算结果进行比较,发现用修正前的关系式得到的变形量偏大,而修正后的结果与理论值吻合很好,证明此修正是正确和必要的。     

Broadband,High‐Speed,and Large‐Amplitude Dynamic Optical Switching with Yttrium‐Doped Cadmium Oxide

Transparent conducting oxides, such as doped indium oxide, zinc oxide, and cadmium oxide (CdO), have recently attracted attention as tailorable materials for applications in nanophotonic and plasmonic devices such as low‐loss modulators and all‐optical switches due to their tunable optical properties, fast optical response, and low losses. In this work, optically induced extraordinarily large reflection changes (up to 135%) are demonstrated in bulk CdO films in the mid‐infrared wavelength range close to the epsilon near zero (ENZ) point. To develop a better understanding of how doping level affects the static and dynamic optical properties of CdO, the evolution of the optical properties with yttrium (Y) doping is investigated. An increase in the metallicity and a blueshift of the ENZ point with increasing Y‐concentrations is observed. Broadband all‐optical switching from near‐infrared to mid‐infrared wavelengths is demonstrated. The major photoexcited carrier relaxation mechanisms in CdO are identified and it is shown that the relaxation times can be significantly reduced by increasing the dopant concentration in the film. This work could pave the way to practical dynamic and passive optical and plasmonic devices with doped CdO spanning wavelengths from the ultraviolet to the mid‐infrared region.     

Metal‐Free Growth of Nanographene on Silicon Oxides for Transparent Conducting Applications

Conventional methods to prepare large‐area graphene for transparent conducting electrodes involve the wet etching of the metal catalyst and the transfer of the graphene film, which can degrade the film through the creation of wrinkles, cracks, or tears. The resulting films may also be obscured by residual metal impurities and polymer contaminants. Here, it is shown that direct growth of large‐area flat nanographene films on silica can be achieved at low temperature (400 °C) by chemical vapor deposition without the use of metal catalysts. Raman spectroscopy and TEM confirm the formation of a hexagonal atomic network of sp²‐bonded carbon with a domain size of about 3–5 nm. Further spectroscopic analysis reveals the formation of SiC between the nanographene and SiO₂, indicating that SiC acts as a catalyst. The optical transmittance of the graphene films is comparable with transferred CVD graphene grown on Cu foils. Despite the fact that the electrical conductivity is an order of magnitude lower than CVD graphene grown on metals, the sheet resistance remains 1–2 orders of magnitude better than well‐reduced graphene oxides.     

透明介质材料的超快激光微纳加工研究进展

透明介质材料具有高透光性、高耐热性和良好的耐腐蚀性,被广泛应用于航空航天、微电子器件和光学元件等领域,这些应用对透明介质材料微纳加工的精度与质量提出了一定的要求。超快激光具有超高的峰值强度与超短的脉冲持续时间,可突破衍射极限并极小化热影响区,具有出色的加工精度与加工质量,为透明介质材料的微纳尺度加工提供了多样化的手段。综述了透明介质材料的超快激光微纳加工研究进展,包括超快激光加工透明介质材料的内部结构、相关机理和应用领域三个方面,并对透明介质材料的超快激光微纳加工进行了总结与展望。     

浅谈广播透明直播车的设计与实施

以重庆广电集团新建广播透明直播车为案例,就直播车项目的创新点,透明直播车的车体、车载系统、车载视音频系统的设计等几方面做了详细介绍,以供广播技术同仁参考.     

A stacked chalcopyrite thin‐film tandem solar cell with 1.2 V open‐circuit voltage

CuGaSe₂ (CGS) thin films were prepared on tin‐doped indium oxide (ITO) coated soda‐lime glass substrates by thermal co‐evaporation to fabricate transparent solar cells. The films consisted of columnar grains with a diameter of approximately 1 μm. Some deterioration of the transparency of the ITO was observed after deposition of the CGS film. The CGS solar cells were electrically connected in series with Cu(In,Ga)Se₂ (CIGS) solar cells and mechanically stacked on the CIGS cells to construct tandem cells. The tandem solar cell with the CGS cell as the top cell showed an efficiency of 7.4% and an open‐circuit voltage of 1.18 V (AM 1.5, total area). Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

一种高性能的新结构IGBT

提出了一种低功率损耗的新结构IGBT.该新结构的创新点在于其复合耐压层结构,该耐压层包括深扩散形成的n型缓冲层和硼注入形成的透明背发射区两部分.虽然在正常工作条件下,该新结构IGBT工作于穿通状态,但器件仍具有非穿通IGBT(NPT-IGBT)的优良特性.该新结构IGBT具有比NPT-IGBT更薄的芯片厚度,从而可以获得更好的通态压降和关断功耗之间的折衷.实验结果表明:与NPT-IGBT相比较,新结构IGBT的功率损耗降低了40%.     

Catalytically Doped Semiconductors for Chemical Gas Sensing: Aerogel‐Like Aluminum‐Containing Zinc Oxide Materials Prepared in the Gas Phase

Atmospheric contamination with organic compounds is undesired in industry and in society because of odor nuisance or potential toxicity. Resistive gas sensors made of semiconducting metal oxides are effective in the detection of gases even at low concentration. Major drawbacks are low selectivity and missing sensitivity toward a targeted compound. Acetaldehyde is selected due to its high relevance in chemical industry and its toxic character. Considering the similarity between gas‐sensing and heterogeneous catalysis (surface reactions, activity, selectivity), it is tempting to transfer concepts. A question of importance is how doping and the resulting change in electronic properties of a metal‐oxide support with semiconducting properties alters reactivity of the surfaces and the functionality in gas‐sensing and in heterogeneous catalysis. A gas‐phase synthesis method is employed for aerogel‐like zinc oxide materials with a defined content of aluminum (n‐doping), which were then used for the assembly of gas sensors. It is shown that only Al‐doped ZnO represents an effective sensor material that is sensitive down to very low concentrations (<350 ppb). The advance in properties relates to a catalytic effect for the doped semiconductor nanomaterial.