Designing next-generation kesterite solar cells: A systematic numerical investigation of innovative structures and design variants for enhanced photovoltaic performance

Abstract

This paper presents a thorough numerical investigation of copper zinc tin sulfide (CZTS)-based solar cells utilizing the SCAPS-1D simulation tool. In light of the scarcity of indium and gallium, CZTS is explored as a promising alternative absorber material. The study encompasses an extensive array of 280 device simulations, including a systematic optimization process targeting enhanced power conversion efficiency (PCE). Notably, this iterative optimization procedure results in a notable PCE increase from 11.01% to 14.24%. By delving into the realm of electron transport layer (ETL) materials, the integration of a CdO layer culminates in a significant PCE milestone of 15.71%, and a new structure was extrapolated from this step Back contact/CZTS/CdO/ZnO. Furthermore, an exploration involving 172 diverse configurations incorporating various hole transport layer (HTL) materials unveils a remarkable peak PCE of 21.14% (Back contact/SnS/CZTS/CdSe/ZnO). These findings provide valuable insights and directives for the advancement and optimization of CZTS-based solar cells.