such conformal solar cell designs exceed the classical 4n2 limit of absorption, for a randomized Lambertian back-reflector – a limit till recently considered the limit for light trapping enhancement. The combination of photonic and plasmonic effect leads to enhancement of absorption of >50% for a 1micron thick nanocrystalline Si-based solar cell, beyond the 4n2 limit. Such photonic-plasmonic nano-crystalline and amorphous silicon cells have been fabricated using lithography and show large enhancements in the light absorption, photocurrent, and quantum efficiency. The plasmonic solar cells can also experimentally out-perform randomly textured solar cells. The challenges in describing the complex electronic properties and transport in these solar architectures will be briefly discussed.
[1] R. Biswas, C. Xu, Optics Express 19, A664-672 (2011).


报告人简介：
Dr. Rana Biswas

Adjunct Professor, Dept. of Physics & Astronomy; Electrical & Computer Engineering 2010-
Adjunct Associate Professor, Dept. of Electrical Engineering, ISU, 2004-2010
Adjunct Associate Professor, Dept. of Physics & Astronomy, Iowa State University. 1993-2010.

HONORS AND AWARDS
Iowa State University P&S Research Award, 2011; To recognize staff members for excellence in research
Fellow, American Physical Society (elected 2009: For theoretical contributions to the dynamics of semiconductors, solar materials, and photonic crystals);
Materials Research Lecturer, California Institute of Technology, March 2006.

RESEARCH INTERESTS
• Light management in solar cell structures. Enhanced solar cells with photonic crystals.
• Molecular dynamics and electronic properties of semiconductor and solar materials. Structure and light-induced properties of thin film silicon materials, for photovoltaic applications. Atomistic properties of semiconductor and solar materials.
• Design and fabrication of photonic/plasmonic band gap crystals with electromagnetic simulations. Tailored infrared emitters using photonic crystals.
• Theory, Fabrication and development of plasmonic crystals for photonics and energy application