PHOTONICS FOR PHOTOVOLTAICS

Dr. Guillermo Sánchez Plaza​

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Photonics for photovoltaics is a research line that focuses on the understanding of the: light to photovoltaic cell and module interactions, and how to use such knowledge to improve the efficiency.

Optimizing light trapping is one of our major concerns, and we take advantage of nanofabrication techniques to taylor the surface texture in order to modify the reflectance and absorbance properties of the cells.

We are also kean in exploring other nano-technologies to produce for instance nanoparticles or quantum dots and study effects such as plasmon interactions or downshifting, and their effects in the cell.

Argia: a MATLAB-based RCWA simulator of optical diffraction by nano-textured silicon surfaces
Urquia, A, Sanchez-Plaza, G, OPTICS EXPRESS, 34(1), 87-103 (2026).

The enhancement of near infrared light trapping in solar cells with backside crystalline silicon gratings: Realization and characterization investigation
M. Chahia,c, S.P. Alcántarab, A. Bouhekkaa,d ,J.D. Siba,c, G. Sanchez b, L. Chahed
Optik – International Journal for Light and Electron Optics 200 (2020) 163143

A novel passivation process of silicon nanowires by a low-cost PECVD technique for deposition of hydrogenated silicon nitride using SiH4 and N2 as precursor …
L Bouaziz, D Dridi, M Karyaoui, T Angelova, GS Plaza, R Chtourou
The European Physical Journal Plus 132 (3), 119, 2017

Realistic simulation of metal nanoparticles on solar cells
F Cortés-Juan, A Espinosa-Soria, JP Connolly, G Sánchez-Plaza, …
Energy Procedia 84, 204-213, 2015

Multiscale approaches to high efficiency photovoltaics
James Patrick Connolly, Lejo J Koduvelikulathu, Denis Mencaraglia, Julio C Rimada, Ahmed Nejim, Guillermo Sanchez
arXiv preprint arXiv:1511.04724, 2015

Purcell effect and luminescent downshifting in Silicon nanocrystals coated back-contact solar cells
F.Sgrignuolia, P.Ingenhovena, G.Puckerb, V.D.Mihailetchic, E.Fronera, Y.Jestinb, E.Mosera, G.Sànchez, L.Pavesi
Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, 267-274, 2015

The importance of optical characterization of PV backsheets in improving solar module power
S Ponce-Alcántara, AAV Arangú, GS Plaza
Proceedings of the 8th International Photovoltaic Power Generation …, 2014

A statistical analysis of the temperature coefficients of industrial silicon solar cells
S Ponce-Alcántara, AAV Arangú, GS Plaza
Energy Procedia 55, 578-588, 2014

Combined model of non-conformal layer growth for accurate optical simulation of thin-film silicon solar cells
M Sever, B Lipovšek, J Krč, A Čampa, GS Plaza, FJ Haug, M Duchamp, …
Solar energy materials and solar cells 119, 59-66, 2013

Effect of Ag nanoparticles integrated within antireflection coatings for solar cells
F Cortés-Juan, C Chaverri Ramos, JP Connolly, C David, Francisco Javier García de Abajo, J Hurtado, VD Mihailetchi, Salvador Ponce-Alcántara, Guillermo Sánchez
Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy 5 (3), 033116, 2013

Theory of random nanoparticle layers in photovoltaic devices applied to self-aggregated metal samples
C David, JP Connolly, CC Ramos, FJG De Abajo, GS Plaza
Solar energy materials and solar cells 109, 294-299, 2013

Screen printed IBC solar cells with silicon quantum dots downshifter layer
VD Mihailetchi, G Galbiati, LJ Koduvelikulathu, R Kopecek, Y Jestin, Georg Pucker, P Ingenhoven, L Pavesi, JP Conolly, G Sánchez
EU PVSEC 2012 27th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition, 2012

Analysis of plasmonic nanoparticle fabrication techniques for efficient integration in photovoltaic devices
JP Connolly, C David, P Rodriguez, A Griol, P Welti, L Bellières, J Ayucar, J Hurtado, R Lopez, G Sanchez, FJ García de Abajo
Proceedings of the 25th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition/5th World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion, Valencia, Spain

Growth, morphology, and structural properties of group‐III‐nitride nanocolumns and nanodisks
E Calleja, J Ristić, S Fernández‐Garrido, L Cerutti, MA Sánchez‐García, J Grandal, A Trampert, U Jahn, G Sánchez, A Griol, B Sánchez
physica status solidi (b) 244 (8), 2816-2837, 2007

Guillermo Sánchez Plaza – Group leader

Salvador Ponce Alcántara – Postdoctoral researcher

Jorge Argente Garrigós – Junior researcher

SEE MORE «NANOPHOTONICS FOR ENERGY» RESEARCHS

GRAPHENE AND LOW-DIMENSIONAL MATERIALS

Dr. Víctor Jesús Gómez Hernandez​

MOLECULAR MATERIALS​

Dra. Elena Pinilla​

ARTIFICIAL MATERIALS AND METARSURFACES

Dra. Ana Díaz Rubio​

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