Alternative buffer layers in Sb2Se3 thin‐film solar cells to reduce open‐circuit voltage offset

Iman Gharibshahian; Ali A. Orouji; Samaneh Sharbati

doi:10.1016/j.solener.2020.03.115

Alternative buffer layers in Sb₂Se₃ thin‐film solar cells to reduce open‐circuit voltage offset

Iman Gharibshahian, Ali A. Orouji^*, Samaneh Sharbati

^*Corresponding author for this work

Semnan University

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review

Abstract

Antimony Selenide (Sb₂Se₃) thin-film solar cell configurations with alternative buffer layers are proposed to improve the efficiency by minimizing open‐circuit voltage offset (V_oc,offset). The conduction band offsets have been optimized not only at absorber/buffer (ΔE_C‐BA) but also at buffer/transparent conductive oxide (ΔE_C-TB). Voltage‐independent recombination rates in the quasi‐neutral region (R^b₀), the space‐charge region (R^d₀), and at the absorber/buffer interface (Rⁱ₀) of the Sb₂Se₃ solar cells with various configurations are individually modelled. The development of cell configurations causes to decrease the Rⁱ₀, R^d₀, and R^b₀, consequently reducing the V_oc,offset. It is found that the solar cell configuration of Mo/MoSe₂/Sb₂Se₃/TiO₂/ZnO_0.4S_0.6/Zn_0.93Mg_0.07O/ZnO:Al is suitable with the ΔE_C‐BA of 0.29 eV and ΔE_C‐TB of −0.2 eV, therefore considerably reducing V_oc,offset to approximately 0.52 V, and improving the efficiency to 15.46%.

Original language	English
Journal	Solar Energy
Volume	202
Pages (from-to)	294-303
ISSN	0038-092X
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solener.2020.03.115
Publication status	Published - 15. May 2020
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Alternative buffer layers
Device configuration
Open‐circuit voltage offset
Recombination rate
SbSe

Documents & Links

10.1016/j.solener.2020.03.115

Cite this

@article{7da26274fc82494980bc90addb056a2c,

title = "Alternative buffer layers in Sb2Se3 thin‐film solar cells to reduce open‐circuit voltage offset",

abstract = "Antimony Selenide (Sb2Se3) thin-film solar cell configurations with alternative buffer layers are proposed to improve the efficiency by minimizing open‐circuit voltage offset (Voc,offset). The conduction band offsets have been optimized not only at absorber/buffer (ΔEC‐BA) but also at buffer/transparent conductive oxide (ΔEC-TB). Voltage‐independent recombination rates in the quasi‐neutral region (Rb0), the space‐charge region (Rd0), and at the absorber/buffer interface (Ri0) of the Sb2Se3 solar cells with various configurations are individually modelled. The development of cell configurations causes to decrease the Ri0, Rd0, and Rb0, consequently reducing the Voc,offset. It is found that the solar cell configuration of Mo/MoSe2/Sb2Se3/TiO2/ZnO0.4S0.6/Zn0.93Mg0.07O/ZnO:Al is suitable with the ΔEC‐BA of 0.29 eV and ΔEC‐TB of −0.2 eV, therefore considerably reducing Voc,offset to approximately 0.52 V, and improving the efficiency to 15.46%.",

keywords = "Alternative buffer layers, Device configuration, Open‐circuit voltage offset, Recombination rate, SbSe",

author = "Iman Gharibshahian and Orouji, {Ali A.} and Samaneh Sharbati",

year = "2020",

month = may,

day = "15",

doi = "10.1016/j.solener.2020.03.115",

language = "English",

volume = "202",

pages = "294--303",

journal = "Solar Energy",

issn = "0038-092X",

publisher = "Elsevier",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Alternative buffer layers in Sb2Se3 thin‐film solar cells to reduce open‐circuit voltage offset

AU - Gharibshahian, Iman

AU - Orouji, Ali A.

AU - Sharbati, Samaneh

PY - 2020/5/15

Y1 - 2020/5/15

N2 - Antimony Selenide (Sb2Se3) thin-film solar cell configurations with alternative buffer layers are proposed to improve the efficiency by minimizing open‐circuit voltage offset (Voc,offset). The conduction band offsets have been optimized not only at absorber/buffer (ΔEC‐BA) but also at buffer/transparent conductive oxide (ΔEC-TB). Voltage‐independent recombination rates in the quasi‐neutral region (Rb0), the space‐charge region (Rd0), and at the absorber/buffer interface (Ri0) of the Sb2Se3 solar cells with various configurations are individually modelled. The development of cell configurations causes to decrease the Ri0, Rd0, and Rb0, consequently reducing the Voc,offset. It is found that the solar cell configuration of Mo/MoSe2/Sb2Se3/TiO2/ZnO0.4S0.6/Zn0.93Mg0.07O/ZnO:Al is suitable with the ΔEC‐BA of 0.29 eV and ΔEC‐TB of −0.2 eV, therefore considerably reducing Voc,offset to approximately 0.52 V, and improving the efficiency to 15.46%.

AB - Antimony Selenide (Sb2Se3) thin-film solar cell configurations with alternative buffer layers are proposed to improve the efficiency by minimizing open‐circuit voltage offset (Voc,offset). The conduction band offsets have been optimized not only at absorber/buffer (ΔEC‐BA) but also at buffer/transparent conductive oxide (ΔEC-TB). Voltage‐independent recombination rates in the quasi‐neutral region (Rb0), the space‐charge region (Rd0), and at the absorber/buffer interface (Ri0) of the Sb2Se3 solar cells with various configurations are individually modelled. The development of cell configurations causes to decrease the Ri0, Rd0, and Rb0, consequently reducing the Voc,offset. It is found that the solar cell configuration of Mo/MoSe2/Sb2Se3/TiO2/ZnO0.4S0.6/Zn0.93Mg0.07O/ZnO:Al is suitable with the ΔEC‐BA of 0.29 eV and ΔEC‐TB of −0.2 eV, therefore considerably reducing Voc,offset to approximately 0.52 V, and improving the efficiency to 15.46%.

KW - Alternative buffer layers

KW - Device configuration

KW - Open‐circuit voltage offset

KW - Recombination rate

KW - SbSe

U2 - 10.1016/j.solener.2020.03.115

DO - 10.1016/j.solener.2020.03.115

M3 - Journal article

AN - SCOPUS:85082660049

SN - 0038-092X

VL - 202

SP - 294

EP - 303

JO - Solar Energy

JF - Solar Energy