MATHEMATICAL MODELING OF OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF ANTI-REFLECTION COATINGS FOR SILICON SOLAR CELLS

This paper presents a comprehensive mathematical modeling study of the effect of an antireflection coating on the optical characteristics and performance of a silicon solar cell. The analysis is based on the Fresnel equations and the thin-film interference model, which are used to evaluate the spectral dependence of the reflection and absorption coefficients of solar radiation in the wavelength range of 400- 1100 nm. Particular attention is given to the interaction of incident light with the silicon surface and the role of optical losses in limiting device efficiency.

The results demonstrate that the application of an anti-reflection coating based on silicon nitride (Si₃N₄) leads to a significant reduction in surface reflectance and a corresponding increase in the absorption of incident solar radiation. A detailed modeling study of the dependence of the reflection coefficient on the coating thickness was carried out, allowing the determination of the optimal thickness of the anti-reflection layer under standard illumination conditions. The obtained results are consistent with theoretical predictions and reported experimental data.

In addition, the influence of optical losses on the overall photovoltaic performance was evaluated by considering the spectral distribution of solar irradiance and its contribution to photocurrent generation. It was shown that reducing reflection losses directly contributes to an increase in photocurrent and an improvement in the efficiency of photovoltaic energy conversion. The proposed modeling approach provides a useful framework for the design and optimization of thin-film coatings in modern high-efficiency silicon solar cells and can be extended to other photovoltaic materials and multilayer coating systems.

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