Design of Circle Array Pattern for Transparent Nanomesh-Type Electrodes

Abstract

In this study, we report simulation results for the optical properties of nanomesh-type electrodes for transparent electrode. Usually, indium tin oxide (ITO) is commonly used for transparent conductor to solar cell, display, LED and other electronic modules. However, the cost is high due to the rarity of indium. An alternative way is use of transparent nanomesh-type metal electrode for solar cell. Finite different time domain (FDTD) method was used to simulate and analyze their optical properties. Various array patterns (square, circle and circle hexagonal array) of metal on glass (SiO2) substrates were designed and their properties of transmission and reflection were simulated by using the broad band (lambda = 300 similar to 1200 nm) plane wave source. To compare basic characteristics of each pattern, various structural parameters such as hole diameter, pitch and metal thickness were applied. The effect of three typical metals, such as Ag, Au, and Al was also compared. In the results, we will discuss about large dip of transmission appeared at the particular wavelength region from the circle array pattern, which is design with pitch of 500 nm at the wavelength range 700 to 800 nm. The surface plasmonpolaritons (SPP) effect can be the cause of large dip and we could find a broad and high transmission from the properly designed in nanomesh-type electrodes, which was calculated as a function of wavelength.