Design optimization of a-Si:H p-i-n, c-Si:H p-i-n, and micromorph tandem PV cell

Abstract

The performance of a solar cell depends on different design parameters like its doping concentration, layer thicknesses, bandgaps, etc. To ameliorate the solar cell performance studies are done on the effects of different device parameters on its efficiency and others using different solar cell simulation software to skip repeated costly and time consuming experiments in advanced semiconductor labs. In this research, studies on numerical design and performance optimization of a single junction hydrogenated amorphous (a- Si:H) p-i-n cell, hydrogenated single junction microcrystalline ( c-Si:H) p-i-n cell, and micromorph tandem solar cell have been carried out using well-practiced AFORS-HET software. The analyses show that short circuit current density, open circuit voltages, maximum fill factors and the efficiency for the above three configurations cell can be achieved in the range of 10.77 mA/cm2 to 33 mA/cm2, 906.5 mV to 1442 mV, 68.9% to 85.3% and 13.26% to 20.78% respectively. These numerically designed cells can perform very well in high frequency spectrum. For lights of 300 to 500 nm wavelengths the external quantum efficiencies (EQE) of micromorph tandem structure and a-Si:H p-i-n cell have high but for 600 to 800 nm wavelengths, its value is low. On the other side for the lower wavelength spectrum the EQE of c-Si p-i-n is low, but comparatively higher than that of conventional c-Si cell and high for upper wavelength spectrum. The results for short circuit current density of 33 mA/cm2, open circuit voltage of 906.5 mV, fill factor of 69.4% and efficiency of 20.78% of a hydrogenated single junction microcrystalline ( c- Si:H) p-i-n cell solar cell reveals that it is best and would emulate the performance of other structures shortly.