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Concurrent Design of Alloy Compositions of CZTSSe and CdZnS Using SCAPS Simulation: Potential Routes to Overcoming V OC Deficit

Author

Listed:
  • Walid Zein

    (Engineering Physics and Mathematics Department, Faculty of Engineering, Ain Shams University, Cairo 11517, Egypt)

  • Tarek I. Alanazi

    (Department of Physics, College of Science, Northern Border University, Arar 73222, Saudi Arabia)

  • Mostafa M. Salah

    (Electrical Engineering Department, Future University in Egypt, Cairo 11835, Egypt)

  • Ahmed Saeed

    (Electrical Engineering Department, Future University in Egypt, Cairo 11835, Egypt)

Abstract

Solar energy is the most used renewable energy source. CZTSSe uses earth-abundant elements and has promising optoelectronic properties, resulting in becoming a viable alternative to thin film PV. This work provides design guidelines for CZTSSe-based solar cells, where CZTSSe has a tunable affinity and energy gap. The analysis is based on incorporating a ternary compound material to serve as an electron transport material (ETM). In this regard, CdZnS is a potential candidate that can be utilized as an electron transport layer whose affinity and energy gap can be tuned to adjust the band alignment at the ETL/CZTSSe interface. In order to design a high-efficiency solar cell, one has to tune both the ETL and absorber layers to have a suitable conduction band offset (CBO), thereby minimizing the non-radiative recombination which, in turn, boosts the power conversion efficiency (PCE). Thus, in our presented simulation study, we provide a codesign of alloy compositions of both the CZTSSe photoactive layer and the CdZnS ETL using SCAPS-1D simulation. It is found that using the codesign of alloy compositions of the ternary compound ETL and the absorber enhances the PCE by about 2% and, more importantly, overcomes the main issue in CZTSSe which is its open-circuit voltage ( V OC ) deficit. Furthermore, upon optimizing the thickness and doping of both the ETL and absorber layer, as well as the bulk defect of the absorber layer, a PCE of 17.16% is attained in this study, while the calibrated PCE based on a previously published experimental work was 12.30%.

Suggested Citation

  • Walid Zein & Tarek I. Alanazi & Mostafa M. Salah & Ahmed Saeed, 2023. "Concurrent Design of Alloy Compositions of CZTSSe and CdZnS Using SCAPS Simulation: Potential Routes to Overcoming V OC Deficit," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(15), pages 1-14, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:16:y:2023:i:15:p:5754-:d:1208642
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Lhoussayne Et-taya & Abdellah Benami & Touria Ouslimane, 2022. "Study of CZTSSe-Based Solar Cells with Different ETMs by SCAPS," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(3), pages 1-7, February.
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    Cited by:

    1. Mohamed Yassine Zaki & Florinel Sava & Iosif Daniel Simandan & Claudia Mihai & Alin Velea, 2024. "Structural and Compositional Analysis of CZTSSe Thin Films by Varying S/(S+Se) Ratio," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(15), pages 1-11, July.

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