The effect of several parameters on the performance of C-uIns₂-based solar cells using the SCAPS-1D software

Abstract

In this work, we have used one dimensional solar cells simulator SCAPS-1D (Solar Cell Capacitance Simulator) to design solar cells based on CuInS2 as the absorber material and study their device performances. Solar cells having a typical structure Al/ZnO:Al/CdS/CuInS2/Mo have been modeled. We focus on studying effects of varying band gap and thickness of CuInS₂ absorber layer on the performance of the CuInS₂ based solar cells. And also, various replacements for conventional cadmium sulphide (CdS) buffer layer, such as ZnSe and In₂S₃ based buffer layers have been studied to find out the optimum choice. The photovoltaic parameters (short-circuit current density (Jsc), open-circuit voltage (Vco), fill factor (FF) and effciency (η)) have been calculated from the current density-voltage curves. In this study, a simulated effciency of 21.93 % has been obtained with Vco of 0.94 V, Jsc of 27.64 mA/cm2 and FF of 84.25 % for the CuInS₂ solar cell with an absorber layer band gap of 1.40 eV, absorber thickness of 2μm and In2S3 buffer layer. The analysis made from this numerical simulation has revealed the good structure Al/ZnO:Al/In₂S₃/CuInS₂/Mo solar cell.