Optimization of Cu(In, Ga)Se2 (CIGSe) thin film solar cells parameters through numerical simulation and experimental study

• Published in: Solar energy Vol. 224; pp. 298 - 308
• Main Authors: Valencia, D., Conde, J., Ashok, A., Meza-Avendaño, C.A., Vilchis, H., Velumani, S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Elsevier Ltd 01.08.2021; Pergamon Press Inc
• Subjects: Absorbers (materials); CIGSe thin-film solar cell; Copper indium gallium selenides; Cytology; Defects; Density of states; Design optimization; Efficiency; Electrical properties; Energy conversion efficiency; Fabrication; Heterojunctions; Hybrid deposition method; J-V characteristics; Mathematical models; Optical properties; Parameters; Photovoltaic cells; Simulation; Solar cells; Solar energy; Thin films; Vacuum; Vacuum deposition; Density of states; Hybrid deposition method; CIGSe thin-film solar cell; J-V characteristics
• ISSN: 0038-092X; 1471-1257
• DOI: 10.1016/j.solener.2021.05.075

[Display omitted] •The enhanced hybrid fabrication technique promises to yield higher PCE for CIGSe.•Hybrid design improves efficiency/cost ratio analyzed using numerical simulations.•The electrical simulations help us to design and optimize the PV cells.•Simulations optimize parameters and defects that not be observed by experiments.•Physical parameters and defects impact the performance of the Thin Film Solar Cell. This study utilized the 2-D Silvaco ATLAS simulator to design and optimize the CIGSe thin-film solar cell (TFSC), considering experimental results from the hybrid-deposited CIGSe thin-film layer. The enhanced hybrid fabrication technique promises to yield higher power conversion efficiencies (PCE) for CIGSe-based TFSC and attain the Shockley–Queisser limit for single-junction devices. Another consideration is material utilization to avoid wastages without compromising on efficiency. The novel hybrid technique incorporates vacuum and non-vacuum deposition methods to fabricate the high-efficiency CIGSe absorber material for solar cell applications. The experimental studies involved optimizing the deposition methods and characterizing the deposited thin films for morphological, structural, optical, and electrical properties. Employing simulations in a study allows optimizing parameters, especially defects that may not be observed simply by experiments. During simulations for the CIGSe TFSC structure materials, the defined tail defect parameters studied the performance's deep defects, optimizing parameters favorable in experimental conditions for the CdS/CIGSe heterojunction in the based solar cell structure. The optimized simulated study achieved a record 21.92% of conversion efficiency. The simulated results can pave the way to understanding some carrier and device mechanisms, aiding fabricating low-coat and high-efficient CIGSe TFSC. The substitution of some results with experimental data from the hybrid deposited CIGSe absorber layer and reported optimized experimental values yielded an efficiency of 15.01%.