Design and numerical analysis of CIGS-based solar cell with V2O5 as the BSF layer to enhance photovoltaic performance
Md. Ferdous Rahman,
Nayeem Mahmud,
Intekhab Alam,
Md. Hasan Ali,
M. M. A. Moon,
Abdul Kuddus,
G. F. Ishraque Toki,
M. H. K. Rubel,
Md. Abdullah Al Asad,
M. Khalid Hossain
Affiliations
Md. Ferdous Rahman
Advanced Energy Materials and Solar Cell Research Laboratory, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur 5400, Bangladesh
Nayeem Mahmud
Advanced Energy Materials and Solar Cell Research Laboratory, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur 5400, Bangladesh
Intekhab Alam
Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta T2N 1N4, Canada
Md. Hasan Ali
Advanced Energy Materials and Solar Cell Research Laboratory, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur 5400, Bangladesh
M. M. A. Moon
Advanced Energy Materials and Solar Cell Research Laboratory, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur 5400, Bangladesh
Abdul Kuddus
Ritsumeikan Global Innovation Research Organization, Ritsumeikan University, Shiga 525-0058, Japan
G. F. Ishraque Toki
College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, China
M. H. K. Rubel
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi 6205, Bangladesh
Md. Abdullah Al Asad
Department of EEE, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Science and Technology University, Gopalganj 8100, Bangladesh
M. Khalid Hossain
Institute of Electronics, Atomic Energy Research Establishment, Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission, Dhaka 1349, Bangladesh
Copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS)-based solar cells have exhibited greater performance than the ones utilizing cadmium telluride (CdTe) or hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si: H) as the absorber. CIGS-based devices are more efficient, considering their device performance, environmentally benign nature, and reduced cost. In this article, we proposed a potential CIGS-absorber-based solar cell with an FTO/ZnSe/CIGS/V2O5/Cu heterostructure, with a V2O5 back-surface field (BSF) layer, SnO2:F (FTO) window layer, and ZnSe buffer layer. Using the solar cell capacitance simulator one-dimensional simulation software, the effects of the presence of the BSF layer, the thickness, bulk defect density, and acceptor density of the absorber layer, buffer layer thickness, interfacial defect density, device resistance, and operating temperature on the open-circuit voltage, short-circuit current, fill factor, and efficiency, as well as on the quantum efficiency and recombination and generation rate, of the device have been explored in detail. The simulation results revealed that only a 1 μm-thick-CIGS absorber layer with V2O5 BSF and ZnSe buffer layers in this structure offers an outstanding efficiency of 31.86% with a VOC of ∼0.9 V. Thus, these outcomes of the CIGS-based proposed heterostructure provide an insightful pathway for fabricating high-efficiency solar cells with performance more promising than the previously reported conventional designs.
