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Modelling an optimised thin film solar cell

Becque, Joseph; Halliday, D.P.

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Authors

Joseph Becque



Abstract

A phenomenological model has been developed to simulate the efficiency of thin film solar cells. The model uses key equations for p-n heterojunctions and includes radiative recombination, Auger recombination, Shockley-Read-Hall recombination and surface recombination losses. This framework is appropriate for final year undergraduate and Masters students. Key solar cell phenomena are related to an equivalent circuit enabling the maximum conversion efficiency to be determined under standard AM1.5 solar illumination. The underlying physical basis of the model is presented together with algorithms to allow numerical simulation of a solar cell under the full range of operating conditions. The simulation accounts for optical losses within the device and uses a shunt resistance to account for recombination losses. Solar cells can be optimised for efficiency, or other operating characteristics, by adjusting layer thicknesses and doping levels. The model is used to investigate an emerging solar technology: thin-film p-n heterojunction Cu2ZnSnS4/CdS solar cells. An optimised solar cell is found to have an overall PV conversion efficiency of (10±1)%, however significant uncertainties on the values of some Cu2ZnSnS4 material properties mean that the trends predicted by the model are a more useful output from the simulation as these can be related to underlying physical phenomena in a solar cell. A region of maximum efficiency is found for absorber layer thicknesses of the order of microns. The range of CdS thicknesses for which this region is maximised is found when the n-type doping concentration of the CdS is maximised. An abrupt drop in efficiency is found when the CdS doping concentration is less than the doping in the Cu2ZnSnS4. Varying device and material parameters provides physical insights into the operation of solar cell devices. Strategies for managing optical losses and carrier losses can be tested leading to the identification of designs optimised for high efficiency thin film solar cells. The model can be used for other thin film PV technologies by inputting material properties.

Citation

Becque, J., & Halliday, D. (2019). Modelling an optimised thin film solar cell. European Journal of Physics, 40(2), Article 025501. https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6404/aaf954

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Dec 14, 2018
Online Publication Date Feb 12, 2019
Publication Date Mar 31, 2019
Deposit Date Dec 19, 2018
Publicly Available Date Feb 12, 2020
Journal European Journal of Physics
Print ISSN 0143-0807
Electronic ISSN 1361-6404
Publisher IOP Publishing
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 40
Issue 2
Article Number 025501
DOI https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6404/aaf954
Public URL https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1311229

Files

Accepted Journal Article (3 Mb)
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Publisher Licence URL
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

Copyright Statement
As the Version of Record of this article is going to be/has been published on a subscription basis, this Accepted Manuscript will be available for reuse under a CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 licence after a 12 month embargo period.






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