Absorption enhancing proximity effects in aperiodic nanowire arrays

• Main Authors: Sturmberg, Björn C. P, Dossou, Kokou B, Botten, Lindsay C, Asatryan, Ara A, Poulton, Christopher G, McPhedran, Ross C, de Sterke, C. Martijn
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 29-07-2014
• Subjects: Physics - Optics
• DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.1407.7605

Optics Express, Vol. 21, Issue S6, pp. A964-A969 (2013) Aperiodic Nanowire (NW) arrays have higher absorption than equivalent
periodic arrays, making them of interest for photovoltaic applications. An
inevitable property of aperiodic arrays is the clustering of some NWs into
closer proximity than in the equivalent periodic array. We focus on the modes
of such clusters and show that the reduced symmetry associated with cluster
formation allows external coupling into modes which are dark in periodic
arrays, thus increasing absorption. To exploit such modes fully, arrays must
include tightly clustered NWs that are unlikely to arise from fabrication
variations but must be created intentionally.