Intensity enhancement in textured optical sheets for solar cells

Abstract

We adopt a statistical mechanical approach toward the optics of textured and inhomogeneous optical sheets. As a general rule, the local light intensity in such a medium will tend to be2 n^{2}(x)times greater than the externally incident light intensity, wheren(x)is the local index of refraction in the sheet. This enhancement can contribute toward a4 n^{2}(x)increase in the effective absorption of indirect-gap semiconductors like crystalline silicon.