Design optimization of CdTe/Si tandem solar cell using different transparent conducting oxides as interconnecting layers

• 發表在: Journal of Alloys and Compounds
• 主要作者: 2-s2.0-85102620380
• 格式: Article
• 語言: English
• 出版: Elsevier Ltd 2021
• 在線閱讀: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85102620380&doi=10.1016%2fj.jallcom.2021.159351&partnerID=40&md5=1d3080887e517e0af4a3d9909a534b65

Due to the efficiency limit placed by Shockley-Queisser for the single junction solar cells, interest has now shifted to the design and fabrication of cost-effective and more efficient multijunction or tandem solar cells. In this study, wxAMPS 3.0 numerical simulation software has been used in designing and optimizing a CdTe/Si based tandem solar cell structure utilizing some selected transparent conducting oxides (TCOs) as electrical and optical interconnectors. Among the three TCOs (SnO2, ITO and AZO) used here, AZO at a thickness of 20 nm illustrated the best efficiency of 26.7156% with Voc = 2.1261 V, Jsc = 13.8071 mA/cm2 and FF = 0.9100 when the thickness of CdTe and Si layers were fixed at 1 µm and 300 µm, respectively. The best possible efficiency for the design was obtained at 38.0417% by reducing the p-CdTe layer thickness from 1 µm to 0.2 µm. This shows that, with proper design and optimized fabrication process, CdTe/Si tandem can push the efficiency beyond the existing single junction limit. © 2021 Elsevier B.V.