Design and numerical analysis of CIGS-based solar cell with V2O5 as the BSF layer to enhance photovoltaic performance

Abstract

Copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS)-based solar cells have exhibited greater performance than the ones utilizing cadmium telluride (CdTe) or hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si: H) as the absorber. CIGS-based devices are more efficient, considering their device performance, environmentally benign nature, and reduced cost. In this article, we proposed a potential CIGS-absorber-based solar cell with an FTO/ZnSe/CIGS/V2O5/Cu heterostructure, with a V2O5 back-surface field (BSF) layer, SnO2:F (FTO) window layer, and ZnSe buffer layer. Using the solar cell capacitance simulator one-dimensional simulation software, the effects of the presence of the BSF layer, the thickness, bulk defect density, and acceptor density of the absorber layer, buffer layer thickness, interfacial defect density, device resistance, and operating temperature on the open-circuit voltage, short-circuit current, fill factor, and efficiency, as well as on the quantum efficiency and recombination and generation rate, of the device have been explored in detail. The simulation results revealed that only a 1 μm-thick-CIGS absorber layer with V2O5 BSF and ZnSe buffer layers in this structure offers an outstanding efficiency of 31.86% with a VOC of ∼0.9 V. Thus, these outcomes of the CIGS-based proposed heterostructure provide an insightful pathway for fabricating high-efficiency solar cells with performance more promising than the previously reported conventional designs.

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A comprehensive study of the optimization and comparison of cesium halide perovskite solar cells using ZnO and Cu2FeSnS4 as charge transport layers

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Deep Insights into the Coupled Optoelectronic and Photovoltaic Analysis of Lead-Free CsSnI3 Perovskite-Based Solar Cell Using DFT Calculations and SCAPS-1D Simulations

“…To model perovskite PSCs, the ELIS department at the University of Gent developed the SCAPS-1D code. With the help of realistic and accurate back-end physical equations, a wide range of device architectures can be designed and investigated using the flexible PV software SCAPS 1D. − This software simulates photovoltaic processes like light absorption, exciton generation, charge transfer and collection, and recombination. Equation defines Poisson’s equation, which defines the relation between electrostatic potential and the charge density distribution …”