scholarly journals Graded Carrier Concentration Absorber Profile for High Efficiency CIGS Solar Cells

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonino Parisi ◽  
Riccardo Pernice ◽  
Vincenzo Rocca ◽  
Luciano Curcio ◽  
Salvatore Stivala ◽  
...  

We demonstrate an innovative CIGS-based solar cells model with a graded doping concentration absorber profile, capable of achieving high efficiency values. In detail, we start with an in-depth discussion concerning the parametrical study of conventional CIGS solar cells structures. We have used the wxAMPS software in order to numerically simulate cell electrical behaviour. By means of simulations, we have studied the variation of relevant physical and chemical parameters—characteristic of such devices—with changing energy gap and doping density of the absorber layer. Our results show that, in uniform CIGS cell, the efficiency, the open circuit voltage, and short circuit current heavily depend on CIGS band gap. Our numerical analysis highlights that the band gap value of 1.40 eV is optimal, but both the presence of Molybdenum back contact and the high carrier recombination near the junction noticeably reduce the crucial electrical parameters. For the above-mentioned reasons, we have demonstrated that the efficiency obtained by conventional CIGS cells is lower if compared to the values reached by our proposed graded carrier concentration profile structures (up to 21%).

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (14) ◽  
pp. 4268
Author(s):  
Jessica de Wild ◽  
Gizem Birant ◽  
Guy Brammertz ◽  
Marc Meuris ◽  
Jef Poortmans ◽  
...  

Ultrathin Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) absorber layers of 550 nm were grown on Ag/AlOx stacks. The addition of the stack resulted in solar cells with improved fill factor, open circuit voltage and short circuit current density. The efficiency was increased from 7% to almost 12%. Photoluminescence (PL) and time resolved PL were improved, which was attributed to the passivating properties of AlOx. A current increase of almost 2 mA/cm2 was measured, due to increased light scattering and surface roughness. With time of flight—secondary ion mass spectroscopy, the elemental profiles were measured. It was found that the Ag is incorporated through the whole CIGS layer. Secondary electron microscopic images of the Mo back revealed residuals of the Ag/AlOx stack, which was confirmed by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy measurements. It is assumed to induce the increased surface roughness and scattering properties. At the front, large stains are visible for the cells with the Ag/AlOx back contact. An ammonia sulfide etching step was therefore applied on the bare absorber improving the efficiency further to 11.7%. It shows the potential of utilizing an Ag/AlOx stack at the back to improve both electrical and optical properties of ultrathin CIGS solar cells.


2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (04) ◽  
pp. 2050053
Author(s):  
Fatemeh Ghavami ◽  
Alireza Salehi

In this paper, the performance of copper-indium-gallium-diselenide Cu(In,Ga)Se2 solar cell, with ZnO window layer, ZnSe buffer layer, CIGS absorber layer and InGaP reflector layer was studied. The study was performed using the TCAD Silvaco simulator. The effects of grading the band gap of CIGS absorber layer, the various thicknesses and doping concentrations of different layers have been investigated. By optimizing the solar cell structure, we have obtained a maximum open circuit voltage of 0.91901 V, a short circuit current density of 39.89910 mA/cm2, a fill factor (FF) of 86.67040% and an efficiency of 31.78% which is much higher than the values for similar CIGS solar cells reported so far.


2007 ◽  
Vol 1012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jin Woo Lee ◽  
David Berney Needleman ◽  
William N. Shafarman ◽  
J. David Cohen

AbstractWe present a compensated donor-acceptor conversion model to explain the metastable light-induced changes in the performance of CIGS solar cells. In this model, compensating donors plays the role of recombination channel. Modeling using SCAPS-1D yielded reasonable fits to the I-V curves in different metastable states, matching the experimentally observed decreases in short circuit current and fill factor as well as the lack of change in open circuit voltage. Comparison of the experimental results from bifacial solar cells and SCAPS simulations strongly supports the compensated donor-acceptor conversion model both qualitatively and quantitatively.


2014 ◽  
Vol 665 ◽  
pp. 111-114 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ying Huang ◽  
Xiao Ming Shen ◽  
Xiao Feng Wei

In this paper, InAlN/Si single-heterojunction solar cells have been theoretically simulated based on wxAMPS software. The photovoltaic parameters, such as open circuit voltage, short circuit current, fill factor and conversion efficiency were investigated with changing the indium content and thickness of n-InAlN layer. Simulation results show that the optimum efficiency of InAlN/Si solar cells is 23.1% under AM 1.5G spectral illuminations, with the indium content and thickness of n-InAlN layer are 0.65 and 600nm, respectively. The simulation would contribute to design and fabricate high efficiency InAlN/Si solar cells in experiment.


2001 ◽  
Vol 668 ◽  
Author(s):  
Akhlesh Gupta ◽  
I. Matulionis ◽  
J. Drayton ◽  
A.D. Compaan

ABSTRACTHigh efficiency CdTe solar cells are typically grown with CdTe thicknesses from 3 to 15 μm, although the thickness required for 90% absorption of the incident irradiation at 800 nm is only ∼1 μm. In this paper, we present the effect of CdTe thickness reduction on the performance of CdS/CdTe solar cells in which both the CdS and CdTe films were grown by sputtering. We produced a series of cells with different CdTe thickness (from 0.5 to 3.0 μm), and held the CdS thickness and back-contact-processing constant. The effect of CdTe thickness reduction on the diffusion of CdS into CdTe was studied using optical absorption and x-ray diffraction techniques. Only slight decreases occur in open-circuit voltage, short-circuit current, and fill factor with decrease in CdTe film thickness to 1.0 μm. Almost 10% efficient cells were obtained with 1 μm CdTe. Below 1 μm, all cell parameters decrease more rapidly, including the red quantum efficiency.


2013 ◽  
Vol 1538 ◽  
pp. 51-60 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neelkanth G. Dhere ◽  
Ashwani Kaul ◽  
Helio Moutinho

ABSTRACTSodium plays an important role in the development of device quality CIGS (Cu-In-Ga-Se) and CIGSeS (Cu-In-Ga-Se-S) chalcopyrite thin film solar cells. In this study the effect of location of sodium precursor on the device properties of CIGS solar cells was studied. Reduction in the surface roughness and improvement in the crystallinity and morphology of the absorber films was observed with increase in sodium quantity from 0 Å to 40 Å and to 80 Å NaF. It was found that absorber films with 40 Å and 80 Å NaF in the front of the metallic precursors formed better devices compared to those with sodium at the back. Higher open circuit voltages and short circuit current values were achieved for devices made with these absorber films as well.


Coatings ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 520 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lingg ◽  
Buecheler ◽  
Tiwari

Recent improvements in CdTe thin film solar cells have been achieved by using CdTe1−xSex as a part of the absorber layer. This review summarizes the published literature concerning the material properties of CdTe1−xSex and its application in current thin film CdTe photovoltaics. One of the important properties of CdTe1−xSex is its band gap bowing, which facilitates a lowering of the CdTe band gap towards the optimum band gap for highest theoretical efficiency. In practice, a CdTe1−xSex gradient is introduced to the front of CdTe, which induces a band gap gradient and allows for the fabrication of solar cells with enhanced short-circuit current while maintaining a high open-circuit voltage. In some device structures, the addition of CdTe1−xSex also allows for a reduction in CdS thickness or its complete elimination, reducing parasitic absorption of low wavelength photons.


2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aniruddha Singh Kushwaha ◽  
Pramila Mahala ◽  
Chenna Dhanavantri

We have conducted numerical simulation of p-GaN/In0.12Ga0.88N/n-GaN, p-i-n double heterojunction solar cell. The doping density, individual layer thickness, and contact pattern of the device are investigated under solar irradiance of AM1.5 for optimized performance of solar cell. The optimized solar cell characteristic parameters for cell area of 1  × 1 mm2are open circuit voltage of 2.26 V, short circuit current density of 3.31 mA/cm2, fill factor of 84.6%, and efficiency of 6.43% with interdigitated grid pattern.


2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Cristian Moisés Díaz-Acosta ◽  
Antonia Martínez-Luévanos ◽  
Sofía Estrada-Flores ◽  
Lucia Fabiola Cano-Salazar ◽  
Elsa Nadia Aguilera-González ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Solar energy is one of the most promising and developed technologies in recent years, due to its high efficiency and low cost. Perovskite-type solar cells have been the focus of attention by the world scientific community. The main objective of this article is to present an (PSCs) analysis of the various investigations reported on the development of ABX3 inorganic halide perovskite-based solar cells, with emphasis in the effect that temperature and humidity have on their chemical and crystal structure stability. The main methods that are used to obtain ABX3 inorganic halide perovskites are also presented and analyzed. An analysis about the structure of these photovoltaic cells and how to improve their efficiency (PCS), fill factor (FF), short circuit current density (Jsc) and open circuit voltage (Voc) of these devices is presented. As a conclusion, a relationship of the methods, synthesis variables, and type of inorganic halide perovskite used for the development of devices with the best efficiencies is presented; the trends towards which this area of science is heading are also highlighted.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Venkanna Kanneboina

Abstract This paper presents the influence of defect states and thickness of interface layer on high efficiency of c-Si/a-Si:H heterojunction solar cells with higher bandgap emitter a-Si:H(p) layer by AFORSHET simulation tool. At first, the performance of Ag/ZnO/a-Si:H(p)/ a-Si:H(i)/ c-Si(n)/ a-Si:H(i)/ a-Si:H(n)/Ag heterojunction solar cells was studied by altering the thickness of a-Si:H(p) and a-Si:H(i) layers. The best values of open circuit voltage (Voc) (764.8 mV), short circuit current density (Jsc) (43.15 mA/cm2), fill factor (FF) (85.71) and efficiency(ɳ) (28.28%) were obtained at 3 nm of a-Si:H(p) and a-Si:H(i) layer. In the same structure, c-Si(n) interface was introduced in between c-Si(n) and a-Si:H(i) layer. It is found that the solar cell performance was not changed by varying defect density from 109-1014 cm-3 for thin (5 and 10 nm) interface layer and estimated values are 761.7 mV, 38.83 mA/cm2, 86.09%, 25.46% correspond to Voc, Jsc, FF, ɳ respectively. For very thick interface layer, defect density has shown huge impact on the device performance. At 1 µm, the Voc, FF and ɳ values have been changed from 760.2 to 653.2 mV, 85.9 to 80.76% and 22.94 to 18.47% for the defect density of 109 to 1014 cm-3 respectively.


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