scholarly journals Incorporation of CdCl2 surface treatment into the CdS/ZnTe hetero-junction solar cell device structures for efficiency improvement

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Olajide I Olusola
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Solar Cells ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
Surface Treatment ◽  
Tin Oxide ◽  
Window Layer ◽  
Solar Cell Efficiency ◽  
Cell Efficiency ◽  
Device Structures ◽  
Cdcl2 Treatment

p-ZnTe thin film semiconductors have been successfully used as an absorber material to n-CdS window layer by effectively optimising the ZnTe absorber layer thickness. In order to create a two terminal hetero-junction diode from the n- and p- type materials, two ohmic electrical contacts are required. This was achieved by depositing n-CdS layers on glass/fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) conducting substrate and evaporating Au on p-ZnTe layer. The ZnTe layer was successfully electroplated on CdS thin film grown on glass/fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) conducting substrates. The device structures were subjected to heat treatment in air with and without CdCl2 surface treatment using temperature of 400oC and duration of 10 minutes. The incorporation of the CdCl2 treatment led to enhancement in the solar cell efficiency. Solar cells developed from glass/FTO/n-CdS/p-ZnTe/Au device structure gave an open circuit voltage (Voc) of 450 mV, short circuit current density (Jsc) of 7.26 mAcm-2 and fill-factor (FF) of 0.31 resulting in 1.0% efficiency (η) for n-CdS/p-ZnTe heterostructure annealed ordinarily in air. After treating the top surface of n-CdS/p-ZnTe heterostructure with CdCl2 solution, all the solar cell parameters improved with Voc of 480 mV, Jsc of 24.0 mAcm-2 and FF of 0.46 giving a total efficiency of 5.3%. For the CdS/ZnTe heterostructures treated without and with CdCl2 solution, the rectification factors (RF) observed from the I-V characteristics under dark condition for these devices are 101.0 and 102.2 respectively. Both devices show ideality factors (n) in excess of 2.0 and the reverse saturation currents are 79.4 and 0.16 nA for hetero-junction structures without and with CdCl2 treatment respectively. The improvement in the solar cell efficiency can be accredited to the integration of the CdCl2 treatment in the p-n junction cells. Keywords: Solar Cells, p-n Junction Diodes, n-CdS, Heterostructure, p-ZnTe, CdCl2 surface treatment.

scholarly journals CdTe-Based Thin Film Solar Cells: Past, Present and Future

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (6) ◽  
pp. 1684
Author(s):  
Alessandro Romeo ◽  
Elisa Artegiani
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Solar Cells ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
Short Circuit ◽  
Short Circuit Current ◽  
Short Circuit Current Density ◽  
Open Circuit ◽  
Early Years ◽  
Solar Cell Efficiency ◽  
Cell Efficiency

CdTe is a very robust and chemically stable material and for this reason its related solar cell thin film photovoltaic technology is now the only thin film technology in the first 10 top producers in the world. CdTe has an optimum band gap for the Schockley-Queisser limit and could deliver very high efficiencies as single junction device of more than 32%, with an open circuit voltage of 1 V and a short circuit current density exceeding 30 mA/cm2. CdTe solar cells were introduced at the beginning of the 70s and they have been studied and implemented particularly in the last 30 years. The strong improvement in efficiency in the last 5 years was obtained by a new redesign of the CdTe solar cell device reaching a single solar cell efficiency of 22.1% and a module efficiency of 19%. In this paper we describe the fabrication process following the history of the solar cell as it was developed in the early years up to the latest development and changes. Moreover the paper also presents future possible alternative absorbers and discusses the only apparently controversial environmental impacts of this fantastic technology.

Thin‐film solar cells exceeding 22% solar cell efficiency: An overview on CdTe-, Cu(In,Ga)Se2-, and perovskite-based materials

2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 041602 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Powalla ◽  
Stefan Paetel ◽  
Erik Ahlswede ◽  
Roland Wuerz ◽  
Cordula D. Wessendorf ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Solar Cells ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
Thin Film Solar Cells ◽  
Solar Cell Efficiency ◽  
Cell Efficiency

scholarly journals The Effect of Different Surface Plasmon Polaritons Shapes on Thin Film Solar Cell Efficiency

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Khalil ElKhamisy ◽  
Salah Elagooz ◽  
El-Sayed El-Rabaie ◽  
Hamdy Abdelhamid
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Solar Cells ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
Surface Plasmon ◽  
Surface Plasmon Polaritons ◽  
Thin Film Solar Cell ◽  
Series Resistance ◽  
Solar Cell Efficiency ◽  
Cell Efficiency ◽  
Plasmon Polaritons

Abstract Thin film Si solar cell and surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) effects on solar cell efficiency, series resistance and shunt resistance are studied and analyzed in this work. The different surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) shapes and their effects on the optical, electrical properties and therefore on the efficiency of thin film solar cell are studied in this work. This study is introduced using 3D numerical simulation results. The semiconductor and electromagnetic models are incorporated for studying the electrical and optical behaviors of the thin film solar cells, respectively. A 14.76% efficiency is obtained for triangle’ SPPs of about 1.07% of efficiency improvement compared to solar cell of SPPs free. The solar cell electrical parameters also are extracted in this work based on a single diode equivalent model. The series resistance is enhanced for solar cells of equilateral triangle SPP by 3% compared to the non-applied SPPs.

Optimization of Cu(In,Ga)Se2 Solar Cell and its Comparative Performance Analysis for Employing Different Buffer and Window Layers Through Numerical Simulation and Analysis Using SCAPS-1D

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meah Imtiaz Zulkarnain ◽  
Nazmul Islam
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Numerical Simulation ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
Thin Film Solar Cell ◽  
Buffer Layers ◽  
Window Layer ◽  
Solar Cell Efficiency ◽  
Cell Efficiency ◽  
Cigs Solar Cell ◽  
Cell Structures

Abstract In this research, a numerical simulation and analysis of the second generation thin film solar cell Copper Indium Gallium diselenide, Cu(In,Ga)Se2 or, CIGS, is conducted in order to optimize its performance and compare among the cells using different materials for buffer and window layers. The one-dimensional solar cell simulation program SCAPS-1D (Solar Cell Capacitance Simulator) is used for the simulation and analysis purpose. The effects of variation of bandgap, concentration and thickness of the p-type CIGS absorber layer on the efficiency of CIGS solar cell are investigated. The change in CIGS solar cell efficiency with change in temperature is studied, too. Two different buffer layers namely CdS and In2S3 are considered for the simulation of the CIGS solar cell. The thickness of the buffer layer, its bandgap and concentration are taken into consideration for optimization. As for the window layer, ZnO and SnO2 are employed for the numerical simulation. The thickness of the window layer is varied and its effect on the efficiency of the solar cell is investigated. The open-circuit voltage, short-circuit current density, fill factor and quantum efficiency of the CIGS solar cell are observed from the SCAPS simulation besides the solar cell efficiency. A comparison among the different CIGS cell structures employing different buffer layers and window layers is performed in terms of efficiency and other essential parameters as mentioned above. The solar cell performances of the structures explored in this work were also put in comparison against some laboratory research cell output. The simulation result shows a possible better performance for all the simulated CIGS cell structures compared to the experimental results. In2S3 appears to increase efficiency and thus poses a great potential for non-toxic CIGS solar cell. Though CIGS absorber layer requires more thickness for desired output, successful application of much thinner SnO2 replacing ZnO buffer layer paves the way to less thicker CIGS thin film solar cell.

scholarly journals Optical Absorption Enhancement in Amorphous Silicon Films and Solar Cell Precursors Using the Aluminum-Induced Glass Texturing Method

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nasim Sahraei ◽  
Selvaraj Venkataraj ◽  
Premachandran Vayalakkara ◽  
Armin G. Aberle
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Solar Cells ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
Optical Absorption ◽  
Near Infrared ◽  
Absorber Layer ◽  
Silicon Films ◽  
Absorption Enhancement ◽  
Solar Cell Efficiency ◽  
Cell Efficiency

One of the key issues of thin-film silicon solar cells is their limited optical absorptance due to the thin absorber layer and the low absorption coefficient for near-infrared wavelengths. Texturing of one or more interfaces in the layered structure of these cells is an important technique to scatter light and enhance the optical pathlength. This in turn enhances the optical absorption of the solar radiation in the absorber layer and improves the solar cell efficiency. In this paper we investigate the effects of textured glass superstrate surfaces on the optical absorptance of intrinsic a-Si:H films and a-Si:Hp-i-nthin-film solar cell precursors deposited onto them. The silicon-facing surface of the glass sheets was textured with the aluminium-induced glass texturing method (AIT method). Absorption in both intrinsic silicon films and solar cell precursor structures is found to increase strongly due to the textured glass superstrate. The increased absorption due to the AIT glass opens up the possibility to reduce the absorber layer thickness of a-Si:H solar cells.

Effects of Different Fluorine Dopants on the Properties of the Tin Oxide Window Layer and CdTe/CdS Solar Cell

2007 ◽  
Vol 1012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaonan Li ◽  
Mailasu Bai ◽  
Joel Pankow ◽  
Sally E. Asher ◽  
Helio Moutinho R. Moutinho ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Optical Properties ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
Carrier Concentration ◽  
Tin Oxide ◽  
Electron Mobility ◽  
Dopant Concentration ◽  
Window Layer ◽  
Group V ◽  
Solar Cell Efficiency ◽  
Cell Efficiency

AbstractConductive tin-oxide (SnO2) film is doped by group V or VII elements. Of all possible dopants, fluorine provides n-type SnO2 with the best electronic and optical properties. However, the commonly used fluorine dopant, bromotrifluoromethane (CBrF3), is a greenhouse gas. Thus, an alternative fluorine source is needed. In this work, we compared CIF3 as a fluorine dopant to CBrF3. With CBrF3 dopant, optimized carrier concentration and electron mobility values can reach to mid 1020 cm-3 and over 40 cm2/V-s, respectively. After carrier concentration saturates, the electronic mobility continues to improve with an increase of CBrF3 dopant concentration. As a comparison, to achieve similar carrier concentration, far less CIF3 dopant is required. However, the electron mobility is lower (<30 cm2/V-s) and does not improve with an increase of dopant concentration. The low electron mobility increases the optical absorption, especially of long wavelengthes. Considering CdTe/CdS solar cell efficiency, the device with a CIF3-doped SnO2 window layer provides the lower photocurrent.

Effective oxygen plasma treatment on indium tin oxide electrode to improve organic solar cell efficiency

2011 ◽  
Vol 209 (2) ◽  
pp. 369-372 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fu-Ching Tang ◽  
Jay Chang ◽  
Wei-Yang Chou ◽  
Horng-Long Cheng ◽  
Steve Lien-Chung Hsu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cell ◽  
Tin Oxide ◽  
Indium Tin Oxide ◽  
Organic Solar Cell ◽  
Oxygen Plasma ◽  
Oxygen Plasma Treatment ◽  
Oxide Electrode ◽  
Indium Tin Oxide Electrode ◽  
Solar Cell Efficiency ◽  
Cell Efficiency

scholarly journals Junction Configuration Effects on the Photovoltaic Parameters of a-Si/CZTS Solar Cells

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Bitam ◽  
B. Hadjoudja ◽  
Beddiaf Zaidi ◽  
C. Shakher ◽  
S. Gagui ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Solar Cells ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
Open Circuit Voltage ◽  
Open Circuit ◽  
Photovoltaic Devices ◽  
Solar Cell Efficiency ◽  
Cell Efficiency ◽  
Reported Study ◽  
Stated Problem

Due to increased energy intensive human activities resulting accelerated demand for electric power coupled with occurrence of natural disasters with increased frequency, intensity, and duration, it becomes essential to explore and advance renewable energy technology for sustainability of the society. Addressing the stated problem and providing a radical solution has been attempted in this study. To harvest the renewable energy, among variety of solar cells reported, a composite a-Si/CZTS photovoltaic devices has not yet been investigated. The calculated parameters for solar cell based on the new array of layers consisting of a-Si/CZTS are reported in this study. The variation of i) solar cell efficiency as a function of CZTS layer thickness, temperature, acceptor, and donor defect concentration; ii) variation of the open circuit current density as a function of temperature, open circuit voltage; iii) variation of open circuit voltage as a function of the thickness of the CZTS layer has been determined. There has been no reported study on a-Si/CZTS configuration-based solar cell, analysis of the parameters, and study to address the challenges imped efficiency of the photovoltaic device and the same has been discussed in this work. The value of the SnO2/a-Si/CZTS solar cells obtained from the simulation is 23.9 %.

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