Modelling and optimization of a-Si:H solar cells with ZnO:Al back reflector

Dagamseh, A.M.K.; Vet, B.; Šutta, P.; Zeman, Miro

doi:10.1016/j.solmat.2010.06.039

Cited by 24 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…For the validation of our modeling approach that used the HFSS software and the correctness of applied boundary conditions, a simple case of flat solar cell was studied first. Such a solar cell was simulated also with 1‐D simulator advanced semiconductor analysis (asa ) which is widely used in simulations of thin‐film silicon solar cells . The simulated structure, shown in Figure (a), comprises of glass substrate, ZnO:Al in the role of front transparent conductive oxide (TCO), amorphous silicon layers forming the p‐i‐n junction, ZnO as back TCO, and Ag back contact.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

3‐D optical modeling of thin‐film silicon solar cells on diffraction gratings

Isabella

Solntsev

Caratelli

et al. 2012

Progress in Photovoltaics

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An effective rigorous 3-D optical modeling of thin-film silicon solar cells based on finite element method (FEM) is presented. The simulation of a flat single junction thin-film silicon solar cell on thick glass (i.e., superstrate configuration) is used to validate a commercial FEM-based package, the High Frequency Structure Simulator (HFSS). The results are compared with those of the reference software, Advanced Semiconductor Analysis (ASA) program, proving that the HFSS is capable of correctly handling glass as an incident material within very timely, short, and numerically stable calculations. By using the HFSS, we simulated single junction thin-film silicon solar cells on glass substrates textured with one-dimensional (1-D) and two-dimensional (2-D) trapezoid-shaped diffraction gratings. The correctness of the computed results, with respect to an actual device, is discussed, and the impact of different polarizations on spectral response and optical losses is examined. From the simulations carried out, optimal combinations for period and height in both 1-D and 2-D grating configurations can be indicated, leading to short-circuit current percentage increase with respect to a flat cell of, respectively, 25.46% and 32.53%. With very limited computer memory usage and computational time in the order of tens of minutes for a single simulation, we promote the usage of 3-D FEM as a rigorous and efficient way to simulate thin-film silicon solar cells.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

3‐D optical modeling of thin‐film silicon solar cells on diffraction gratings

Isabella

Solntsev

Caratelli

et al. 2012

Progress in Photovoltaics

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“…Indeed, once multiple measurements are (more or less) quantitatively described, the simulations can be used to analyse the effect of the variation of material parameters, that is, the presence or absence of particular properties, or variation of all properties in the range of values, to obtain the optimal values for optimizing the solar cells efficiencies, and should give the manufacturers additional ideas of how to vary their production methods to improve the product performance. Several software, among which SCAPS-1D [6], ASA [10], PC-1D [11], AFORS-HET [12], and AMPS-1D [13], have been developed in order to simulate the functioning of thin film solar cells. SCAPS is widely used for the simulation of CIGSand CdTe-based solar cells.…”

Section: Numerical Modeling and Materialsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Numerical Analysis of Copper-Indium-Gallium-Diselenide-Based Solar Cells by SCAPS-1D

Ouédraogo

Zougmoré

Ndjaka

2013

International Journal of Photoenergy

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We used a one-dimensional simulation program Solar Cell Capacitance Simulator in 1 Dimension (SCAPS-1D) to investigate Copper-Indium-Gallium-Diselenide-(CIGS-) based solar cells properties. Starting with a conventional ZnO-B/i-ZnO/CdS/CIGS structure, we simulated the parameters of current-voltage characteristics and showed how the absorber layer thickness, hole density, and band gap influence the short-circuit current density ( sc ), open-circuit voltage ( oc ), fill factor (FF), and efficiency of solar cell. Our simulation results showed that all electrical parameters are greatly affected by the absorber thickness (w) below 1000 nm, due to the increase of back-contact recombination and very poor absorption. Increasing hole density (p) or absorber band gap ( g ) improves oc and leads to high efficiency, which equals value of 16.1% when p = 10 16 cm −3 and = 1.2 eV. In order to reduce backcontact recombination, the effect of a very thin layer with high band gap inserted near the back contact and acting as electrons reflector, the so-called back-electron reflector (EBR), has been investigated. The performances of the solar cells are significantly improved, when ultrathin absorbers (w < 500 nm) are used; the corresponding gain of sc due to the EBR is 3 mA/cm 2 . Our results are in good agreement with those reported in the literature from experiments.

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“…We deployed the Advanced Semiconductor Analysis (ASA) software to simultaneously solve these equations. ASA is developed at Delft University of Technology and widely used in the field of thin‐film silicon technology . This fast software is especially designed for simulating devices based on amorphous and (micro)crystalline semiconductors.…”

Section: Optoelectrical Modelingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Full‐wave optoelectrical modeling of optimized flattened light‐scattering substrate for high efficiency thin‐film silicon solar cells

Isabella

Sai

Kondo

et al. 2012

Progress in Photovoltaics

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The flattened light-scattering substrate (FLiSS) is formed by a combination of two materials with a high refractive index mismatch, and it has a flat surface. A specific realization of this concept is a flattened two-dimensional grating. When applied as a substrate for thin-film silicon solar cells in the nip configuration, it is capable to reflect light with a high fraction of diffused component. Furthermore, the FLiSS is an ideal substrate for growing high-quality microcrystalline silicon (mc-Si:H), used as bottom cell absorber layer in most of multijunction solar cell architectures. FLiSS is a three-dimensional structure; therefore, a full-wave analysis of the electromagnetic field is necessary for its optimal implementation. Using finite element method, different shapes, materials, and geometrical parameters were investigated to obtain an optimized FLiSS. The application of the optimized FLiSS in mc-Si:H single junction nip cell (1-mm-thick i-layer) resulted in a 27.4-mA/cm 2 implied photocurrent density. The absorptance of mc-Si:H absorber exceeded the theoretical Yablonovitch limit for wavelengths larger than 750 nm. Double and triple junction nip solar cells on optimal FLiSS and with thin absorber layers were simulated. Results were in line with state-of-the-art optical performance typical of solar cells with rough interfaces. After the optical optimization, a study of electrical performance was carried out by simulating current-voltage characteristics of nip solar cells on optimized FLiSS. Potential conversion efficiencies of 11.6%, 14.2%, and 16.0% for single, double, and triple junction solar cells with flat interfaces, respectively, were achieved.

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Modelling and optimization of a-Si:H solar cells with ZnO:Al back reflector

Cited by 24 publications

References 17 publications

3‐D optical modeling of thin‐film silicon solar cells on diffraction gratings

3‐D optical modeling of thin‐film silicon solar cells on diffraction gratings

Numerical Analysis of Copper-Indium-Gallium-Diselenide-Based Solar Cells by SCAPS-1D

Full‐wave optoelectrical modeling of optimized flattened light‐scattering substrate for high efficiency thin‐film silicon solar cells

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