Optimization of electrical properties for performance analysis of p-Si/n-CdS/ITO heterojunction photovoltaic cell

Abstract

There is always a photogenerated current in solar photovoltaics because of the movement of charge carriers in the photovoltaic device. Therefore, it is necessary and exciting to explore its electrical properties. Thus, in the present communication, the electrical properties (as electron/hole mobilities, the effect of electron affinity, series/shunt resistance, etc.) have been optimized for p-Si photovoltaic cells with thin n-CdS emitter and ITO window layer. In this context, the signature of charge carrier mobilities on the performance of the proposed configuration, i.e., the hole mobility of the p-Si (p-type Crystalline Silicon) absorber layer and the electron mobility of the n-CdS (n-type Cadmium Sulphide) emitter/buffer layer has been optimized. Under the variation in hole mobility from 50 cm2/Vs to 500 cm2/Vs and the electron mobility from 10 cm2/Vs to 100 cm2/Vs simultaneously, the observed 2D contour plots reveal the effective change in power conversion efficiency from 17.72 % to 18.25 %. Moreover, the effect of electrical parameters, i.e., series and shunt resistance, on the characteristic performance parameters such as power conversion efficiency (η), open-circuit voltage (Voc), short circuit current density (Jsc), and fill factor (FF). An increase in series resistance (0 Ωcm2 to 10 Ωcm2) deteriorates the performance of the proposed solar cell considerably (19.66% to 8.87%). Further, the effect of the electron affinity of the p-Si absorber layer on fill factor and open circuit voltage is observed.