Boosting the Efficiency of CZTS/Si Tandem Solar Cells Using In 2 O 3 Layer in CZTS Top Cell

• Published in: Advanced theory and simulations Vol. 4; no. 8
• Main Authors: Doumit, Nicole, Soro, Kahatie, Ozocak, Aylin, Batut, Nathalie, Schellmanns, Ambroise, Saintaime, Eddy, Ntsoenzok, Esidor
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley 01.08.2021
• Subjects: Acoustics; Mechanics; Physics
• ISSN: 2513-0390; 2513-0390
• DOI: 10.1002/adts.202100099

Abstract While single‐junction solar cells may be capable of attaining AM1.5 theoretical efficiency of 33.16%, infinite multijunction (MJ, Tandem) solar cells will have a limiting efficiency of 86.8%. Tandem solar cells based on crystalline silicon (c‐Si) bottom cells are therefore attracting great interest. An interesting candidate for the top cell absorber is represented by copper zinc tin sulfide Cu 2 ZnSnS 4 (CZTS). In this work, the CZTS/Si tandem solar cell is optimized by using indium oxide / Cadmium sulfide (In 2 O 3 /CdS) hybrid buffer. This present work reports CZTS/Si solar cell with an open‐circuit voltage V OC of over 0.942 V and a J SC of 34.7 mA cm − ² by adding In 2 O 3 layer in the CZTS top cell. The added In 2 O 3 layer has a thickness of 0.022 µm and is n‐doped with a concentration of 1e20 cm −3 . Compared with a CZTS/Si in which the hybrid buffer is of CdS, the efficiency is increased from 13.5% to 28.4%. These hybrid In 2 O 3 /CdS buffers provide a promising way to reduce the V OC deficit and further boost the efficiency of CZTS/Si solar cells.