Direct near-field mapping of photoelectric response induced by localized surface plasmon of silver nano-islands on a silicon solar cell

Abstract

We investigate the possibility to enhance the absorption in solar cells by employing localized plasmon polaritons excited in metallic nanostructure. one possible mechanism for increased absorption for the presence of the metallic nanostructure are the giant near-field enhancement. The localized near-field enhancement of electric field is near the surface of nanostructure within several ten nanometers. To observed the effect of localized surface Plasmon, the photoelectric conversion characteristics of a solar cell with metal nanostructure are investigated by using an illumination-collection mode scanning near-field optical microscopy and near-field optical beam induced current (NOBIC) technique.