Design and Simulation of a Highly Efficient SnSe Solar Cell with CuI as an HTL by SCAPS-1D

• Published in: 2023 IEEE International Conference on Telecommunications and Photonics (ICTP) pp. 01 - 05
• Main Authors: Khan, Tanvir Mahtab, Khatun, Most. Marzia, Khatun, Habiba, Hosen, Adnan, Al Ahmed, Sheikh Rashel
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: IEEE 21.12.2023
• Subjects: CuI HTL; Efficiency; Performance evaluation; Photovoltaic cells; Photovoltaic systems; Radiative recombination; SCAPS-1D; Semiconductor device modeling; SnSe absorber; Thin-film PV device; Tin; Voltage
• ISSN: 2836-2985
• DOI: 10.1109/ICTP60248.2023.10490748

In the present article, a semiconducting tin selenide (SnSe) absorber-based novel heterostructure device of FTO/CdS/SnSe/CuI/Ni is modeled by exploiting SCAPS-1D program. Herein, the copper iodide (CuI) as a hole transport layer (HTL) is employed at the rear of SnSe active material and rear metal electrode. The SCAPS-1D program is also exploited to evaluate the photovoltaic (PV) output parameters of the suggested new solar device. It is discovered that that p+ type CuI as an HTL confirms modest band structure at the SnSe/CuI junction, thus minimizing the carrier recombination at rear contact. As a result, the open circuit voltage (V oc ) is increased up to 0.86 V for the cell with an HTL. Also, the efficiency is increased from 17.58% to 24.57% after adding the CuI HTL in the anticipated SnSe-based PV device. Furthermore, the PV performances of the designed device employing an HTL have been analyzed by the thickness, carrier density, defect level, and operating temperature. These outputs intimate that the CuI can be introduced as a promising HTL material for the developing inexpensive and high-efficiency SnSe-based PV devices.