Numerical investigation of a double-junction a:SiGe thin-film solar cell including the multi-trench region

Abstract

We present a new approach based on the multi-trench technique to improve the electrical performances, which are the fill factor and the electrical efficiency. The key idea behind this approach is to introduce a new multi-trench region in the intrinsic layer, in order to modulate the total resistance of the solar cell. Based on 2-D numerical investigation and optimization of amorphous SiGe double-junction (a-Si:H/a-SiGe:H) thin film solar cells, in the present paper numerical models of electrical and optical parameters are developed to explain the impact of the multi-trench technique on the improvement of the double-junction solar cell electrical behavior for high performance photovoltaic applications. In this context, electrical characteristics of the proposed design are analyzed and compared with conventional amorphous silicon double-junction thin-film solar cells.

Optical absorption performance of CZTS/ZnO thin film solar cells comprising anti-reflecting coating of texturing configuration

“…1,2 Although the c-Si-based technique provides a greater efficiency value of 26.6%, it has several weaknesses, the most notable of which is the high manufacturing cost owing to its processing stages, including purication and crystallization. 2,3 Organic/inorganic, perovskite and dye-sensitized designs continue to be the basis for cost-effective solutions, which suffer from low conversion efficiency and dependability. [3][4][5] In contrast, thin-lm chalcogenide CuIn x Ga (1−x) Se 2 (CGIS) solar cells are favorable because of their high stability and excellent efficiency of 22%.…”

“…2,3 Organic/inorganic, perovskite and dye-sensitized designs continue to be the basis for cost-effective solutions, which suffer from low conversion efficiency and dependability. [3][4][5] In contrast, thin-lm chalcogenide CuIn x Ga (1−x) Se 2 (CGIS) solar cells are favorable because of their high stability and excellent efficiency of 22%. [5][6][7] However, the use of hazardous or rare metals, such as gallium, germanium, indium, and cadmium in CGIS-based solar cells might make it difficult to achieve high efficiency/ cost ratios.…”

Optimization of triple-junction hydrogenated silicon solar cell nc-Si:H/a-Si:H/a-SiGe:H using step graded Si1‑xGex layer

“…Furthermore, modeling of MJ solar cells using a-SiGe:H and microcrystalline silicon were conducted [10]. Another effort to produce high-efficiency cells was performed by Ferhati et al Incorporating muti-trench region shows an increase in the efficiency of a-SiGe:H MJ solar cells [11,12]. Besides optimizing the device design, improving the quality of a-SiGe:H in the fabrication process can also resulting in a high-performance solar cell [13,14].…”

Absorption enhancement in amorphous Si by introducing RF sputtered Ti intermediate layers for photovoltaic applications

“…However, the actual stage of maturity of PV systems calls for a renewed performance assessment to make them competitive with fossil fuels concerning utility-scale energy generation [2][3][4]. Till now, crystalline Silicon (c-Si) PV technology dominates the commercialization market as compared to its counterpart based on thin-film material (CdTe, CIGS, CZTS and a-Si) [4][5][6][7][8]. Having benefited from decades of intensive research efforts, c-Si-based technology demonstrates an improved efficiency that exceeds 26% and high-level of maturity at the industrial view point [9].…”

“…For this purpose, a major research and development focus has been devoted to design thinfilm solar cells with absorber thicknesses in the range 1-2 μm in order to reduce the elaboration cost of the PV module, while maintaining a high conversion efficiency approaching the Shockley-Queisser limit [5][6][7][8]. In this perspective, various strategies based on nanostructures, heterojunction, multilayers, tandem configuration, electrode engineering and band-gap grading have been proposed to improve the efficiency of thin-film solar cells [10][11][12][13][14][15][16].…”