Two stage modelling of solar photovoltaic cells based on Sb_2S_3 absorber with three distinct buffer combinations

摘要

Solar cell research has always been an attraction by virtue of its clean and green status. However, to overcome the implications of high cost and moderate efficiency, there has always been fierce competition to search alternative approach for designing efficient solar cells with optimal performance-cost ratio. Recently, antimony sulfide (Sb2S3) has received substantial attention as an absorber in thin film solar cells due to earth abundance, low cost, non-toxic property and high optical absorption. Still, its performance could not match Si based cells. In this work, we adopted two-stage simulation approach to design Sb2S3 absorber based heterojunction solar cell to enhance efficiency. Initial simulation for configuration optimization was done considering thickness, defect density, recombination (radiative, Auger) effect, carrier density of the Sb2S3 absorber layer. Buffer layer thickness and absorption coefficient optimization was taken up. Further, series and shunt resistance of the device as well as conduction band offset (CBO) at absorber/buffer interface was also optimized at initial stage only. In the next level of simulation, efficiency enhancement was achieved by optimizing optimal back contact metal work function, absorber layer band gap grading and temperature. The aforesaid two-stage optimization yielded efficiency similar to 24.81%, which is higher than conventional thin film solar cell. The optimal solar cell structure configuration, for Sb(2)S(3)absorber solar cell, suggested a positive CBO of 0.26 eV (e.g.; ZnS buffer layer), a back contact metal work function of 5.1 eV (e.g.; Mo, Au) and band gap grading window similar to 1.31 to 1.62 eV.