Influence of minority charge carrier lifetime and concentration on crystalline silicon solar cells based on double antireflection coating: A simulation study

Abstract

In this work, the optoelectrical properties of silver doped zinc oxide (Ag–ZnO)/ZnO double antireflection coating (ARC) layer were investigated by a simulation approach in terms of their minority charge carriers and surface charge carrier concentrations. From the experimental results, the Ag–ZnO/ZnO double ARC layer on Si solar cells presented the reduced average reflectance by 7.58% which was lowered to ZnO and Ag–ZnO single ARC layer. The simulation study demonstrated the reasonable electron and hole densities of 1.75 × 10 16 cm −3 and 1.51 × 10 16 cm −3 on c-Si solar cells with Ag–ZnO/ZnO double ARC layer. The simulated I–V characteristics evidenced that the performances of Ag–ZnO/ZnO double ARC layer-based Si solar cells gradually increased with the increase of the minority carrier lifetimes. As compared to a single ARC layer, the Ag–ZnO/ZnO double ARC layer-based Si solar cell achieved the highest conversion efficiency 14.32% with a fill factor of 81.35% at a minority carrier lifetime of 10 μs and carrier concentration of 1 × 10 17 cm −3 . The enhanced photovoltaic performance in Ag–ZnO/ZnO double ARC layer-based Si solar cells might be attributed to the high generation of electron-hole pairs, improved minority lifetime, and excellent carrier concentrations. • A simulation study was performed for optoelectrical properties of Ag–ZnO/ZnO double antireflection coating layer > Photovoltaic properties with respect to minority charge carriers/charge carrier concentrations studied > High electron and hole densities of 1.75 × 10 16 cm −3 and 1.51 × 10 16 cm −3 were observed > Ag–ZnO/ZnO double ARC layer based Si solar cell achieved the highest PCE 14.32%.