Numerical Modelling Analysis for Carrier Concentration Level Optimization of CdTe Heterojunction Thin Film–Based Solar Cell with Different Non–Toxic Metal Chalcogenide Buffer Layers Replacements: Using SCAPS–1D Software

Abstract

Cadmium telluride (CdTe), a metallic dichalcogenide material, was utilized as an absorber layer for thin film–based solar cells with appropriate configurations and the SCAPS–1D structures program was used to evaluate the results. In both known and developing thin film photovoltaic systems, a CdS thin–film buffer layer is frequently employed as a traditional n–type heterojunction partner. In this study, numerical simulation was used to determine a suitable non–toxic material for the buffer layer that can be used instead of CdS, among various types of buffer layers (ZnSe, ZnO, ZnS and In2S3) and carrier concentrations for the absorber layer (NA) and buffer layer (ND) were varied to determine the optimal simulation parameters. Carrier concentrations (NA from 2 × 1012 cm−3 to 2 × 1017 cm−3 and ND from 1 × 1016 cm−3 to 1 × 1022 cm−3) differed. The results showed that the use of CdS as a buffer–layer–based CdTe absorber layer for solar cell had the highest efficiency (%) of 17.43%. Furthermore, high conversion efficiencies of 17.42% and 16.27% were for the ZnSe and ZnO-based buffer layers, respectively. As a result, ZnO and ZnSe are potential candidates for replacing the CdS buffer layer in thin–film solar cells. Here, the absorber (CdTe) and buffer (ZnSe) layers were chosen to improve the efficiency by finding the optimal density of the carrier concentration (acceptor and donor). The simulation findings above provide helpful recommendations for fabricating high–efficiency metal oxide–based solar cells in the lab.

Performance enhancement of Sb2Se3-based solar cell with hybrid buffer layer and MoSe2 as a hole transport material using simulator device

“…Shen et al [15] use CdS as an ETM layer in their work. However, cadmium (Cd) is poisonous and classified as a carcinogen, both of which are harmful to the environment and humans [48]; furthermore, CdS has a narrow bandgap. In this part of the study, we will propose an alternative buffer layer to the CdS layer used in Fig.…”

A Simulation Study on the Effect of the Thickness and Carrier Concentration of the Active Layers in the n-CdSe/p-CdSe Solar Cell

“…The primary purpose of this study is to acquire a carrier concentration (N a ) of the p-CdSe absorber layer with minimizing cell performance losses. As a result, reduced costs can be achieved by lowering the number of costly materials utilized (Zyoud et al, 2021) From figure 4, one can note that J SC drops as carrier concentration increases, but V OC increases. The decrease in J SC with increasing carrier concentration occurs primarily because the process of carrier recombination increases with increasing carrier concentration, and thus the probability of photo-generated carriers gathering decreases, and this is due to increased carrier recombination in the deep region, where high-wavelength and low-energy photons are absorbed in this layer.…”

“…In this section, the influence of the buffer layer (n-CdSe) carrier concentration on the performance of the proposed cell parameters was investigated. The goal of this study is to decrease optical and electrical losses in this layer (Zyoud et al, 2021). Where the donor concentration in this layer was changed from 10 14 to 10 18 cm -3 , while the carrier density in the other layers kept at the previous optimum values.…”

Analysis of different buffer layers on CuO based solar cells using SCAPS-1D

“…Solar cells are devices which are used to convert the solar energy in the form of electricity [1]. The main focus of photovoltaic market is centered on silicon based solar cells owing to its abundance and feasibility [2]. However, this imposes a limitation on efficiency and cost.…”

“…The incident light reaches the absorber layer by going through the buffer layer. Hence, absorption of photons in buffer layer should be minimum [2]. This puts a requirement of electrical resistance and low surface recombination.…”