Simulating the performance of a high-efficiency SnS-based dual-heterojunction thin film solar cell

This article demonstrates a novel high efficiency ZnS/SnS/MoS2 dual-heterojunction thin film solar cell. The device has been optimized with respect to the thickness, doping concentration, and defect density of each constituent layer including working temperature and back contact metal work function using SCAPS-1D simulator. The MoS2 plays a promising role to serve as a back surface field (BSF) layer with commendatory band alignment, which provides an opportunity for higher absorption of longer wavelength photons utilizing the tail-states-assisted (TSA) two-step photon upconversion approach. The insertion of MoS2 in the ZnS/SnS pristine structure offers a significant improvement of the power conversion efficiency (PCE) within the detailed-balance limit with a rise from 20.1 to 41.4% with VOC of 0.91V, JSC of 53.4 mA/cm(2) and FF of 84.9%, respectively. This result reveals MoS2 as an effective BSF for low cost, highly efficient dual-heterojunction structure for future fabrication. (C) 2021 Optical Society of America under the terms of the OSA Open Access Publishing Agreement

Automated summary

This article optimized a novel ZnS/SnS/MoS2 dual-heterojunction thin film solar cell with a focus on the role of MoS2 as a back surface field (BSF) layer, leading to a significant increase in power conversion efficiency to 41.4%. The study demonstrates MoS2 as a promising material for low-cost, highly efficient dual-heterojunction solar cell structures in future fabrication.