Nanoantennas for nanowire photovoltaics

We consider the use of plasmonic nanoantenna elements, hemispherical and cylindrical, for application in semiconductor nanowire (NW) vertical arrays. Using Mie theory and a finite element method, scattering and absorption efficiencies are obtained for the desired enhancement of interaction with light in the NWs. We find an optimal mixture of nanoantennae for efficient scattering of solar spectrum in the NW array. Spectral radiation patterns of scattered light are computed, and, for representing the total response of the nanoantenna-equipped NWs to the solar AM1.5G spectrum, the weighted average of scattering patterns for unpolarized normal incidence is obtained showing an advantageous overall directivity toward the NWs.