Monte Carlo simulation of the optical absorption of hydrogenated nanocrystalline silicon thin films

The optical absorption coefficient measured by Constant Photocurrent Method (CPM) for nanotextured silicon thin films is apparent affected by light scattering produced in these heterogeneous materials. A detailed Monte Carlo simulation of the absorption spectra and the random optical paths traveled by the scattered photons is presented for the case of nano-Si:H layers. The calculated values of apparent absorption coefficient and the mean optical path depend mainly on the variation of the included nanocrystallites fraction, which favors bulk light scattering phenomena. The particular structure of these materials is a key characteristic of efficient thin films solar cells.