Numerical Simulation of Ultrathin CdTe Solar Cell by SCAPS-1D

Abstract

Cadmium telluride (CdTe) has been recognized as one of the efficient and cost-effective thin film solar cell materials with a direct band energy of 1.5 eV. CdTe has long been a leading material in fabrication of solar cell due to its high optical absorption coefficient and ideal band gap. Despite the advantages of CdTe PV technology, CdTe is facing the challenge of Te scarcity. However, it is possible to decrease the CdTe thickness without much compromise in efficiency. Reducing the absorber layer thickness can lower the cost and usage of materials. It can assist to produce large scale CdTe solar cell module as Te is not an earth-abundant element. Numerical simulation of thin film solar cell is a crucial process for defining the possibility of anticipated solar structures, predicting the impact of differences in material characteristics and geometry on overall efficiency. In this research, Solar Cell Capacitance Simulator (SCAPS-1D) is applied to explore the impact of absorber layer thickness and carrier concentration in realizing ultrathin CdTe solar cell. It has been found that 500 nm thick absorber layer is sufficient for acceptable range of cell efficiency. Simulation results of 500 nm CdTe with the carrier concentration of 1.0 × 1014 cm−3 has an efficiency of 2.2%. For CdTe carrier concentration of 1.0 × 1017 cm−3, the efficiency increases to 13.22% with open-circuit voltage of 0.988 V, a short-circuit current density of 16.19 mA/cm2 and fill factor of 82.54%. The optimal numerical solar cell design suggests an approach to further enhance the efficiency of CdTe solar cells.

I-MASnBr3 /CZTGS Heterojunction Solar Cell Layer Optimization Investigated Using Scaps-1D Software Exhibited Excellent Performance at 50 %

“…This method simplifies the modelling process by assuming that the parameters of the solar cell are uniform in one direction. To accurately predict the performance of solar cells under different operating conditions, SCAPS-1D considers several physical processes such as carrier transport, generation, recombination, and optical absorption [24,25].…”

ZnMgO Thin Films by Ultrasonic Spray Pyrolysis: Modulation of Optical and Electrical Properties by Post‐annealing and Magnesium Composition

“…[8,9] This potential of Zn 1Àx Mg x O as a buffer layer in thin-film solar cells was recently highlighted by three published studies. [3,10,11] Tong et al [10] developed a solar cell with CIGS as an absorber and Zn 1Àx Mg x O as a buffer layer to replace CdS. They deposited the Zn 1Àx Mg x O thin films by magnetron cosputtering and obtained a maximum power conversion efficiency (PCE) of around 15%, thus showing the full potential of this DOI: 10.1002/pssa.202400015 ZnMgO semiconductor is of major interest in sustainable thin-film solar cells in order to replace buffer layers based on nonabundant or toxic elements.…”

“…In addition to these experimental studies, a theoretical study focused on solar cells based on another absorber, CdTe. [ 11 ] The main challenge of this technology is to reduce the required amount of cadmium and tellurium. They showed that by inserting a highly resistive and highly transparent Zn 1− x Mg x O thin film between transparent conducting oxide and window layer, one can improve the efficiency of the solar cell while reducing the thickness of the CdTe absorber and improving thermal stability.…”

Numerical Simulation and Performance Optimization of a Solar Cell Based on WO3/CdTe Heterostructure Using NiO as HTL Layer by SCAPS 1D

“…CdTe is a p-type semiconductor material with a band gap of ∼1.49 eV [1] and an absorption coefficient of ∼10 5 cm −1 , which allows it to absorb more than 99% of the incident photons with an energy greater than its band gap in films as thin as ∼2 µm [2]. In addition, CdTe can be produced on a large scale with good cost efficiency due to its adaptability to manufacturing processes [3]. These characteristics allow considering CdTe as a suitable material for the development of thin-film solar cells.…”