Comparison of the Effects of ZnO and TiO2 on the Performance of Perovskite Solar Cells via SCAPS-1D Software Package

Authors A. Benami1, T. Ouslimane1, L. Et-taya1, A. Sohani2
Affiliations

1LM3ER-OTEA, Department of Physics, Faculty of Sciences and Techniques, Moulay Ismail University of Meknes, BP 509 Boutalamine 52000, Errachidia, Morocco

2Lab of Optimization of Thermal Systems’ Installations, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering-Energy Division, K.N. Toosi University of Technology, P.O. Box: 19395-1999, No. 15-19, Pardis St., Mollasadra Ave., Vanak Sq., Tehran 1999 143344, Iran

Е-mail a.benami@fste.umi.ac.ma
Issue Volume 14, Year 2022, Number 1
Dates Received 17 January 2022; revised manuscript received 25 February 2022; published online 28 February 2022
Citation A. Benami, T. Ouslimane, et al., J. Nano- Electron. Phys. 14 No 1, 01033 (2022)
DOI https://doi.org/10.21272/jnep.14(1).01033
PACS Number(s) 84.60.hj, 88.40.J −
Keywords Perovskite (6) , Solar cells (17) , Efficiency (24) , SCAPS-1D (22) .
Annotation

In the quest for a highly efficient and low-cost material for fourth-generation photovoltaic devices, organic-inorganic hybrid perovskite solar cells are gaining popularity as a new absorber. Currently, two types of solid-state perovskite device architecture are being researched. These are mesoporous and planar heterojunctions. Both structures are made up of five layers: transparent conductive oxide, electron transport material, perovskite active layer, hole transporting material, and back contact. In this work, the key characteristics of perovskite solar cells with zinc oxide (ZnO) and titanium dioxide (TiO2) as electron transport material are simulated using the one-dimensional Solar Cell Capacitance Simulator (SCAPS-1D). TiO2 is the most commonly used material in perovskite solar cells, but its deposition requires high temperature, which limits the commercial processing of flexible devices. ZnO is widely used in the semiconductor industry and is considered an alternative to TiO2 due to its excellent electron transport. Simulation studies focus on the thickness, carrier diffusion length, and band gap energy of the absorber layer, which affect the photovoltaic properties of solar cell devices. The effect of working temperature is also examined. According to the findings, the use of ZnO as an electron transport material improves the cell efficiency compared to TiO2. Because of the lower edge of the conduction band, which facilitates the transport of photogenerated electrons in a perovskite solar cell, the best efficiency got from a structure using ZnO layer is 25.40 % at ambient temperature. The simulation results show that an absorber thickness of 500 nm is appropriate for achieving high efficiency.

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