https://doi.org/10.1140/epjp/s13360-023-04739-y
Regular Article
A numerical approach to maximizing efficiency in Sb2Se3 solar cells by using CuS as a hole transport material
1
OTEA Department of Physics, Faculty of Sciences and Techniques, Moulay Ismail University of Meknes, BP 509 Boutalamine, 52000, Errachidia, Morocco
2
Advanced Energy Materials and Solar Cell Research Laboratory, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Begum Rokeya University, 5400, Rangpur, Bangladesh
3
Ouarzazate Polydisciplinary Faculty, University of Ibn Zohr, 45000, Agadir, Morocco
a
a.elkhalfi@edu.umi.ac.ma
h
a.benami@fste.umi.ac.ma
Received:
4
August
2023
Accepted:
24
November
2023
Published online:
6
December
2023
The current paper uses the SCAPS-1D software to investigate the performance of the Al/n-ITO/n-CdS/p-Sb2Se3/p-CuS/Ni solar cell. After adjusting the simulated and experimental J–V features of the traditional ITO/CdS/Sb2Se3/Au solar cell with an efficiency of 7.6%, the influence of diverse factors such as thickness, doping, defect density in each layer, and capture cross section in Sb2Se3 and at the CdS/Sb2Se3 interface on the cell’s performance is examined. The highest PCE achieved for the standard cell is 21.05% when the absorber, CdS and ITO layer thicknesses are reduced to 600 nm, 70 nm, and 100 nm, respectively, and their carrier concentrations are fixed at 5.1015, 1019, and 1019 cm−3, respectively. A new hole transport layer, consisting of inorganic copper sulfide (CuS), has been incorporated, thus improving the efficiency by blocking electrons and reducing carrier recombination. The effects of front and back contact work function, temperature, and cell resistance are also discussed. The rear-contact Ni and the front-contact Al were found to be the best arrangements with CuS HTL in the ITO/CdS/Sb2Se3 structure cell. Therefore, the optimization of the proposed Al/ITO/CdS/Sb2Se3/CuS/Ni solar structure reveals good thermal stability with a higher PCE of 23.16% for VOC, JSC, and FF of 0.761 V, 37.59 mA/cm2, and 80.97%, respectively, at 300 K.
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© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Società Italiana di Fisica and Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2023. Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
