Applications
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Numerical study of high-temperature, disk-based tungsten and molybdenum thermophotovoltaic selective thermal emitters
This work investigates the design of two-dimensional selective thermal emitters (STEs) made of tungsten or molybdenum disks with a hafnia spacer for thermophotovoltaic applications. A parametric analysis was performed to study the effect of geometry on the thermal emittance and to identify designs optimized for use with a GaSb photovoltaic cell. The spectral and angular emittance of the STEs, as well as the electromagnetic field distributions to identify resonant modes, were computed using the finite element method (FEM) in JCMsuite.
G. Silva-Oelker, et al. Numerical study of high-temperature, disk-based tungsten and molybdenum thermophotovoltaic selective thermal emitters. Opt. Express, 33, 6953 (2025).
2025 DOI Publication link
Light Sources, Photovoltaics, Light Scattering Computation, Resonance Mode Computation
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Ultrathin Cu(In,Ga)Se2 solar cells: enhanced absorption by nanotextured functional back contacts
This study experimentally and numerically investigates a light management strategy to enhance the absorption of ultrathin CIGSe solar cells using a functional back contact with SiO2 nanostructure scatterers and a gold reflector. JCMsuite was used for detailed optical simulations. These simulations were crucial for understanding the complex light-trapping effects, optimizing the nanostructure geometry, and corroborating the experimental external quantum efficiency trends.
M. Demir et al. Ultrathin Cu(In,Ga)Se2 solar cells: enhanced absorption by nanotextured functional back contacts. J. Phys. Energy 7, 045003 (2025).
2025 DOI Publication link
Photovoltaics, Advanced Finite Element Methods, Light Scattering Computation
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Optical Analysis of Perovskite III-V Nanowires Interpenetrated Tandem Solar Cells
This work presents an optical analysis and optimization of novel interpenetrated tandem solar cells combining perovskite top cells with indium phosphide (InP) nanowire (NW) array bottom cells. The study investigates both three-terminal (3T) and two-terminal (2T) configurations to minimize reflection and parasitic absorption losses. The optical modeling and rigorous electromagnetic simulations were performed using the finite element solver JCMsuite to calculate absorptance, reflectance, and photocurrent densities for various device geometries and material thicknesses.
M. Tirrito, et al. Optical Analysis of Perovskite III-V Nanowires Interpenetrated Tandem Solar Cells. Nanomaterials, 14, 518 (2024).
2024 DOI Publication link
Photovoltaics, Advanced Finite Element Methods, Light Scattering Computation
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Optimizing Aesthetic Appearance of Perovskite Solar Cells Using Color Filters
This study optimizes the color appearance of perovskite solar cells by integrating them with MorphoColor interference filters. The researchers used Bayesian optimization (implemented with JCMwave’s commercial software) to adapt the filter design, minimizing the color distance between the combined stack and the target aesthetic appearance. The optimization allowed tailoring of the bridging layers, achieving both a desired green color and improved photocurrent in the solar cell.
J. Schaible, et al. Optimizing Aesthetic Appearance of Perovskite Solar Cells Using Color Filters. Sol. RRL, 2400627 (2024).
2024 DOI Publication link
Photovoltaics, diffractive optics, Optimization and Parameter Retrieval Methods
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Optical Simulations of Perovskite-Perovskite Tandem Solar Cells
Simulations with JCMsuite of the optical properties of planar and nanotextured perovskite/perovskite solar cells are presented. The thickness of the HG perovskite is varied and results are compared to experimental data.
K. Jäger, et al., Optical Simulations of Perovskite/Perovskite Tandem Solar Cells. Advanced Photonics Congress 2023, Technical Digest Series (Optica Publishing Group, 2023), paper JM4D.3.
2023 DOI
Photovoltaics, Light Scattering Computation
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Nano-optical Designs for High-efficiency Monolithic Perovskite–silicon Tandem Solar Cells
In this publication, a perovskite–silicon tandem solar cell with periodic nanotextures and an optically advanced rear reflector with a dielectric buffer layer is presented. The optimization of the design is performed with JCMsuite. Experiments could demonstrate a certified power conversion efficiency of 29.80%.
P. Tockhorn, et al. Nano-optical designs for high-efficiency monolithic perovskite–silicon tandem solar cells. Nat. Nanotechnol. 17, 1214–1221 (2022).
2022 DOI Publication link
Photovoltaics, Light Scattering Computation, Optimization and Parameter Retrieval Methods
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Disordered antireflective Huygens' metasurface made from High-Index Disks for heterojunction solar cells
With the target to improve the efficiency of solar cells, a disordered arrangement of high-index dielectric submicron-sized disks is experimentally exploited as an antireflective Huygens' metasurface. The response of the entire metasurface is simulated using Born's approximation, where the distribution of the disks obtained from SEM images determines the structure factor while FEM simulations with JCMsuite are used to determine the form factor of the individual disks.
P. M. Piechulla, et al. Antireflective Huygens’ Metasurface with Correlated Disorder Made from High-Index Disks Implemented into Silicon Heterojunction Solar Cells. ACS Photonics (2021).
2021 DOI Publication link
Metamaterials, Photovoltaics, Light Scattering Computation
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Double-layer metasurface for enhanced photon up-conversion
Multi-layer metasurfaces are considered for enhancing photon-upconversion through the excitation of resonances of the metasurface. A simulation with JCMuite shows that the measured transmission resonances are accompanied with strongly enhanced near fields close to the metasurface which enhance the upconversion.
P. Manley, et al. Double-layer metasurface for enhanced photon up-conversion. APL Photonics, 6(3), 036103 (2021).
2021 DOI Publication link
Metamaterials, Photovoltaics, photonic crystals, Light Scattering Computation
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Bayesian optimization of metal grating back reflectors for multijunction solar cells
A triple-junction solar cell with a metal grating back reflector is accurately simulated using JCMsuite's finite-element solver. Based on the simulations the parameters of the metal grating are optimized with JCMsuite's Analysis and Optimization Toolkit to maximize the efficiency of the solar cell.
P. Tillmann, et al. Optimizing metal grating back reflectors for III-V-on-silicon multijunction solar cells. Opt. Express 29, 22517 (2021).
2021 DOI Publication link
Photovoltaics, diffractive optics, plasmonics, Light Scattering Computation, Optimization and Parameter Retrieval Methods, Uncertainty Quantification Methods
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High-index dielectric nanodisk arrays as anti-reflective and light trapping structures for mono- and bifacial silicon heterojunction solar modules
The study analyzes the annual energy yield of thin heterojunction solar modules that are equipped with optimized anti-reflective and light trapping titanium dioxide nanodisk square arrays. Compared with flat optimized anti-reflective coatings the yield can go up to 23.3 %rel and 43.0 %rel for mono- and bifacial solar modules.
E. Slivina, et al. Annual energy yield of mono- and bifacial silicon heterojunction solar modules with high-index dielectric nanodisk arrays as anti-reflective and light trapping structures. Opt. Express, 29, 34494 (2021).
2021 DOI Publication link
Photovoltaics, Light Scattering Computation
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Improved Quantum Efficiency by Advanced Light Management in Nanotextured Perovskite Solar Cells
The study characterizes perovskite solar cells deposited on different shallow nanotextures. An experimental characterization and optical simulations using JCMsuite reveal that the gain in efficiency can be largely attributed to reduced reflection losses and increased absorption in the perovskite.
P. Tockhorn, et al. Improved Quantum Efficiency by Advanced Light Management in Nanotextured Solution-Processed Perovskite Solar Cells. ACS Photonics, 7(9), 2589 (2020).
2020 DOI Publication link
Photovoltaics, Light Scattering Computation
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Backscattering suppression in solar cells
Antireflection performance of nanoparticle arrays on top of solar cell stacks has been investigated numerically.
E. Slivina, et al. Insights into Backscattering Suppression in Solar Cells from the Helicity-Preservation Point of View. Phys. Rev. Appl. 12, 054003 (2019).
2019 DOI
Metamaterials, Photovoltaics, optical chirality, Light Scattering Computation
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Design of front textures for solar cells
JCMsuite is used for quantitative design of textures for efficient solar cells.
S. Nanz, et al. Light‐Trapping Front Textures for Solar Cells from Tailored Mixtures of Nanospheres: A Numerical Study. Phys. Status Solidi A 215, 1800699 (2018).
2018 DOI
Photovoltaics, diffractive optics, Light Scattering Computation
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Nanophotonic Light Management for Perovskite-Silicon Tandem Solar Cells.
Numerical simulations are used to study how well hexagonal sinusoidal nanotextures in the perovskite top-cell can reduce the reflective losses of the combined tandem device.
D. Chen, et al. Nanophotonic Light Management for Perovskite-Silicon Tandem Solar Cells. J. Photonics Energy, 8, 022601 (2018).
2018 DOI Publication link
Photovoltaics, Light Scattering Computation
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Optimize rough backreflectors of solar cells
Full wave FEM simulations are used to reliably design light-trapping surface textures.
S. Nanz, et al. Strategy for tailoring the size distribution of nanospheres to optimize rough backreflectors of solar cells. Opt. Express 26, A111 (2018).
2018 DOI Publication link
Metamaterials, Photovoltaics, Light Scattering Computation
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Simulations of thin-film solar cells with a thick glass superstrate
Hexagonal sinusoidal nanotextured silica-silicon interfaces are studied in numerical simulations. A comparison with experimental data reveals that higher-order corrections can predict the measured reflectivity of the samples much better than an often-applied zeroth-order correction.
K. Jäger, et al. On accurate simulations of thin-film solar cells with a thick glass superstrate. Opt. Express 26, A99 (2018).
2018 DOI Publication link
Photovoltaics, Light Scattering Computation, other methods
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Light management by nanostructures in chalcopyrite solar cells
FEM simulations are used in studies of light management by nanostructures in photovoltaic devices.
M. Schmid. Review on light management by nanostructures in chalcopyrite solar cells. Semicond. Sci. Technol. 32, 043003 (2017).
2017 DOI
Photovoltaics, Light Scattering Computation
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Design of nanostructured plasmonic back contacts for thin-film silicon solar cells
A plasmonic light-trapping concept based on plasmon induced light scattering at nanostructured Ag back contacts of thin-film silicon solar cells is presented. The electromagnetic interaction between incident light and localized surface plasmon polariton resonances in nanostructured Ag back contacts was simulated with JCMsuite.
U. W. Paetzold, et al. Design of nanostructured plasmonic back contacts for thin-film silicon solar cells. Opt. Express 19, A1219 (2011).
2011 DOI Publication link
Photovoltaics, Light Scattering Computation