Modeling and formation of a single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) based heterostructure for efficient solar energy: Performance and defect analysis by numerical simulation

Abstract

This work introduces a new highly efficient heterostructure solar cell that shows the supremacy of the single-walled carbon nanotube as an absorber layer and platinum (Pt) as a back contact. This article focuses on the most important process: optimizing the thickness and acceptor concentration of the absorber layer. Another novel fact in this work is that minorities have been included as a replica of defects and the Auger hole/electron capture coefficient, and the variations in defects have been shown with some flawless contour plots. As the whole study has been carried out using a simulator, it might not be completely realistic, but it shows outcomes close to reality. In addition, the use of minorities takes this simulation work closer to the physical one. A contemporary model—Al/ZnO/TiO2/SWCNT/SnS/Pt—has been investigated in this work for efficient performance. At the end of tuning, the input parameters are set at thickness (W) = 1.5 µm, acceptor concentration (NA) = 1 × 1020 cm−3, and defects = 1 × 1015 cm−3. Under these optimum conditions, this model has shown outstanding outcomes: VOC = 1.04 V, JSC = 41.91 mA cm−2, FF = 72.12%, and η = 31.57%. Although an efficiency of 32.86% was achieved at NA = 1 × 1021 cm−3, it is difficult to keep the acceptor concentration high in reality. Hence, the optimum value of the acceptor concentration is considered at 1 × 1020 cm−3.