Published online by Cambridge University Press: 31 January 2011
Sparse arrays of evaporated silver nanodiscs were fabricated with nanosphere lithography (NSL) on glass substrates and on hydrogenated nanocrystalline silicon solar cells. The optical transmittance spectra for arrays on glass vary substantially with film thickness, and were reasonably consistent with previous work. The quantum efficiency spectra of hydrogenated nanocrystalline silicon solar cells show spectral shifts due to coupling of surface plasmons in the metal nanodiscs to the planar waveguide modes of the cells, with overall photocurrent enhancement up to 10%.