Theoretical analysis of introducing CeOx as a passivation layer: an innovative approach to boosting CIGS solar cell efficiency

Abstract

Abstract In this paper, we present a novel structure, AZO/CeOx/SnS2/CIGS/a-Si/Ag., simulated using SCAPS-1D. The structure features CeOx as a passivation layer, integrates SnS2 as an auxiliary absorber layer alongside the primary CIGS layer, and employs a-Si as a buffer layer. Our investigation focuses on evaluating the impact of material parameters on various electrical characteristics such as open-circuit voltage (Voc), short-circuit current (Jsc), efficiency (η), and fill factor (FF). We analyze the influence of layer thickness on the aforementioned characteristics and scrutinize the effects of temperature variation and series resistance on cell performance. After detailed calculations, we found that optimizing these parameters led to excellent performances, achieving an efficiency of 30.11%. This achievement was obtained under specific conditions, including the following layer thicknesses: CeOx (0.7 μm), CIGS (1.2 μm), and a-Si (0.1 μm), along with an optimal temperature of 302 K. This study aims to provide valuable insights to device manufacturers for enhancing the efficiency of CIGS solar cells.