Optimizing nanostructured TiO2/Cu2O pn heterojunction solar cells using SCAPS for fourth industrial revolution

Abstract

This study aims to optimize nanostructured TiO2/Cu2O pn heterojunction solar cells using Solar Cell Capacitance Simulator (SCAPS) to aid in clean, efficient and affordable energy delivery in readiness for industry 4.0. A clean, affordable and efficient energy affordable is crucial for the success of industry 4.0. The challenges of expensive and interrupted power supply still exist in some developing countries. Solar energy is capable of solving this challenge. Different research now looks at reducing the cost of solar energy to aid domestication. This study simulated an alternate material (metal oxide) to silicon solar cells. A working input of 300 K was used for the as-deposited and compared with air and nitrogen annealed (423.15 K) of the heterojunction. Additional working parameters involves sunlight represented by illumination of AM 1.5G with a 500 W Xenon lamp, the electrode/contact was represented by silver. The thickness of the absorber layer was 2000 nm and buffer layer was 200 nm. An improved efficiency was obtained for annealed samples compared to the as-deposited TiO2/Cu2O pn heterojunction efficiency of 1.25%. The fill factor of samples annealed in air was 49.5%, efficiency was 3.23%, and nitrogen annealed was 53.50% for fill factor and 3.85% for efficiency. This result will contribute to the investigation and fabrication of metal oxide based solar cells especially in developing countries.