Perovskite Solar Cell with Added Gold/Silver Nanoparticles: Enhanced Optical and Electrical Characteristics

Ali Hajjiah,Ishac Kandas,Hussein Badran,Nader Shehata

doi:10.3390/en13153854

Abstract

Different perovskite materials, such as methylammonium lead triiodide MAPbI3, exhibit many outstanding and desirable properties in solar energy harvesting. In this paper, the enhancement of perovskite solar cells’ both optical and electrical characteristics through adding either gold (Au) or silver (Ag) nanoparticles (NPs) using different simulations was studied. The used plasmonic nanoparticles were found to be able to compensate for the low absorption of MAPbI3 in the visible with optical coupling resonance frequencies close to that spectrum. Optimal diameters of Au and Ag NPs were found and simulated, and their impact on different parameters such as transmission, absorption, reflection, external quantum efficiency (EQE), open circuit voltage, short-circuit current density, fill factor, and most importantly, efficiency of the perovskite solar cell, have been investigated.

Highlights

Solar photovoltaic (PV) is one of the world’s best renewable energy sources, having experienced exponential growth over the last several years [1], with an expected installed capacity of 1 terawatt (TW)by 2022–2023 [2]
Even though perovskites had a weak start in photovoltaic applications in 2009, with power conversion efficiency as little as 3.8% [3], their efficiencies have skyrocketed to 14% in 2013 and to ~23% in 2018 [4]
It is clear that the curves along with a summary of the extracted added NPs have a direct effect on the enhancement of the Jsc, with an increase of 1.45 mA/cm2 and

Summary

Introduction

Solar photovoltaic (PV) is one of the world’s best renewable energy sources, having experienced exponential growth over the last several years [1], with an expected installed capacity of 1 terawatt (TW)by 2022–2023 [2]. Solar photovoltaic (PV) is one of the world’s best renewable energy sources, having experienced exponential growth over the last several years [1], with an expected installed capacity of 1 terawatt (TW). One prominent emerging type of solar cells is perovskite solar cells. Even though perovskites had a weak start in photovoltaic applications in 2009, with power conversion efficiency as little as 3.8% [3], their efficiencies have skyrocketed to 14% in 2013 and to ~23% in 2018 [4]. As of June 2018, thin-film perovskite technologies have exceeded all other thin-film solar cell technologies, including cadmium telluride (CdTe) and Copper Indium Gallium Selenide (CIGS), proving to be a strong candidate to the future of solar PV. One of the most promising perovskite materials is methylammonium lead triiodide (MAPbI3 or MAPI), exhibiting many outstanding and desirable properties.

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion