Performance improvement of Si solar cell via down - Conversion and plasmonic processes using Eu3+ doped TeO2-GeO2-PbO glasses with silver nanoparticles as cover layer

We report Si solar cell efficiency enhancement covering it with a layer of Eu3+ doped TeO2-GeO2 - PbO glasses with silver nanoparticles. The glass samples were prepared using the well-known melt quenching technique and thermally treated to nucleate metallic particles by thermal reduction. Different concentrations of Eu2O3 and AgNO3 were investigated and the influence of the down -conversion process and the plasmonic effects of silver nanoparticles on Si solar cell performance was demonstrated. The best performance of the photovoltaic device was reached when it was covered with samples that exhibit the highest luminescence combined with considerable transmittance in the visible range. We highlight the best results in which the efficiency of Si solar cell was increased in 11.42% and 11.81%, covering it with samples doped with 1.0% and 5.0% of Eu2O3 containing low concentration of silver nanoparticles, respectively. On the other hand, the effect of large concentration of silver nanoparticles was explored. In this case, quenching of the luminescence promoted the decreasing of Si solar cell performance.