Simulation study of significant optical absorption enhancement for “n-i-p” structured perovskite solar cells with optimized periodic nano texture

We report a significant enhancement of the ultimate efficiency, η, of CH3NH3PbI3 (abbr.: MAPbI3) perovskite solar cells (PSCs) with optimized periodic poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) nano texture, owing to the light trapping effect. With the finite difference time domain (FDTD) simulations, we investigated the η of the nano-textured PSCs (NT-PSCs) when the MAPbI3 layer thickness, dp, ranges from 31.25 nm to 2 μm. The optimized ultimate efficiency, ηm, is defined as the η optimized over the geometric parameters of the nano texture. When dp is approximately 125–500 nm, compared with that of the planar ones, ηm of the PSCs with optimized nano texture is significantly improved by ca. 11.5%–32.8%. Notably, when dp is 125 nm, ηm of the optimized NT-PSCs achieves 24.3%, which is relatively 32.8% larger than that of the planar PSCs. It is very potential to fabricate optimized PMMA nano texture in PSCs to enhance their PCE. •Efficiency of perovskite solar cell with optimized nano texture is largely enhanced.•Six types of nano textured perovskite devices were studied by FDTD simulation.•Relative efficiency increment ratio achieved 14.4% ∼ 32.8%.•Carrier concentration and absorption spectra demonstrated the enhancement.•PMMA is feasible as NIL target to fabricate periodic nano texture.