Simulation of novel CsSnBr₃ perovskite solar cells achieving efficiency of 31.62 %

Abstract

In this study, we performed computational optimization on four designs of CsSnBr3 perovskite solar cells using the SCAPS-1D simulation tool. Our main objective was to enhance the efficiency of the FTO/AlZnO/CsSnBr3/WSe2/Se, FTO/ZnO/CsSnBr3/WSe2/Se, FTO/LiTiO2/CsSnBr3/WSe2/Se, and FTO/WS2/CsSnBr3/WSe2/Se configurations. We investigated how adjusting the thicknesses of the electron transport layer (ETL), hole transport layer (HTL), and perovskite layer, along with varying temperature, series and shunt resistances, and the acceptor doping density of the HTL, affected key performance metrics, such as the short-circuit current (Jsc), open-circuit voltage (Voc), fill factor (FF), and power conversion efficiency (PCE). The optimized PCEs for these configurations were 30.52%, 31.62%, 30.42%, and 30.51%, respectively, indicating that they all achieved similar levels of efficiency. The solar cells performed optimally at a temperature of 300K, with zero series resistance and a shunt resistance of at least 1x105 Ω cm². While zero series resistance is not practical in real-world applications, the findings suggest it should be minimized as much as possible for maximum efficiency. Furthermore, when comparing our results to prior studies, we found that the PCE values of all CsSnBr3-based solar cell designs developed in this research surpassed that of the previously reported ITO/WS2/CsSnBr3/Cu2O/Au cell, which had the highest recorded PCE for similar devices. Our best-performing structure showed a 9.19% improvement in efficiency over the previous record.