SnTe as a BSF enhances the performance of Sb2Se3 based solar cell: A numerical approach

This theoretical investigation's primary goal is to investigate how the Sb2Se3 solar cell's performance may be improved. Here, SnTe, as an innovative back surface field (BSF) layer, has been added between the rear contact (Mo) and absorber layer (Sb2Se3). Above the absorber layer, the structure comprises a thin CdS buffer layer. For each layer of the Al/CdS/Sb2Se3/SnTe/Mo structure, the physical characteristics such as the active layer's thicknesses, carrier concentration, defect density, and rear electrode's work function are determined. The sug-gested cell outperformed the solar cell without the SnTe layer, which had an efficiency of 20.33%, with enhanced efficiency and open-circuit voltage (Voc) of 28.25% and 0.86 V, respectively, at 300 K. The above solar cell used 0.15 mu m SnTe layer, 0.05 mu m CdS, and 2.0 mu m Sb2Se3 layer. The features of the antimony selenide (Sb2Se3) based solar structure is examined using the SCAPS-1D software, which simulates solar cells in one dimension. In-vestigations have also been done into how working temperatures influence the I-V parameters of the structure.

Automated summary

This theoretical investigation aims to improve the performance of the Sb2Se3 solar cell by introducing a SnTe back surface field layer. The suggested cell demonstrated enhanced efficiency and open-circuit voltage, outperforming the solar cell without the SnTe layer.