Numerical Simulation: Toward High-Efficiency CIGS Solar Cell Through Buffer Layer Replacement

Abstract

The present contribution reports on the performance of CIGS-based solar cells using Solar Cell Capacitance Simulator (SCAPS) to study the replacement of the CdS buffer layer by others. The principle idea behind this investigation is the improvement of CIGS solar cells conversion efficiency by using buffer layers of non-toxic and abundant materials. The four buffer layers of ZnSe, Zn(O, S), In2S3, and SnS2 have substituted the CdS in the Glass/Mo/CIGS/CdS/ZnO/ZnO:Al/MgF2 structure. SCAPS software was used to analyze the effects of buffer layer thickness, buffer layer donor density, buffer layer defect density, absorber layer thickness, and temperature on photovoltaic parameters: open-circuit voltage Voc, short-circuit current density Jsc, Fill Factor FF, and efficiency η. The obtained results indicated that ZnSe, Zn(O, S), In2S3, and SnS2 are good alternative buffer layers with an efficiency of around 28.3%.