Study and Performance Improvement of Ultrathin CIGS Solar Cells
| Authors | B. Kaghouche1,2, A. Saouli1,3, I. Nouicer4, S. Abadli2, Z. Deridj, S. Boulmelh2, L. Dib2, L. Saci2 |
| Affiliations |
1Abdelhafid Boussouf University centre of Mila, BP N°26 RP Mila 43000, Algeria 2LEMEAMED Laboratory, Electronics Department, University of Constantine 1 – Mentouri Brothers, 25000 Constantine, Algeria 3Microsystems and Instrumentation Laboratories (LMI), Faculty of Technology Sciences, Mentouri Brothers University of Constantine, 25000 Constantine, Algeria 4Centre de Développement des Energies Renouvelables, (CDER), B.P. 62, Route de l'Observatoire, 16340, Bouzaréah, Algiers, Algeria |
| Е-mail | b.kaghouche@centre-univ-mila.dz |
| Issue | Volume 17, Year 2025, Number 6 |
| Dates | Received 05 August 2025; revised manuscript received 11 December 2025; published online 19 December 2025 |
| Citation | B. Kaghouche, A. Saouli, et al., J. Nano- Electron. Phys. 17 No 6, 06005 (2025) |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.21272/jnep.17(6).06005 |
| PACS Number(s) | 73.50.Pz, 85.30.De |
| Keywords | Ultrathin CIGS, ATLAS-SILVACO, Defect density, Passivation, Pitch, BSF (3) . |
| Annotation |
The second generation solar cells based on CIGS absorber layer have significant potential in the photovoltaic field and as we know the current and major challenge of this technology is reducing the CIGS layer thickness in order to minimize the manufacturing cost especially by reducing the consumption of Galium and Induim which are considered expensive materials. With this in mind, we conducted a simulation study using the ATLAS-SILVACO module in order to optimize the technological parameters and improve the performance of this device. Indeed, based on an ultrathin CIGS cell already produced we were able to fix the technological parameters of the studied cell. The efficiency and the form factor are almost in perfect agreement with the reference solar cell (η = 8.62% and FF 58%). The defect density in the absorber structure was studied. We attributed the increase in defect density (of the order of 1015 cm-3) to the increase in grain boundaries density. We discussed the effect of the abundant presence of the Copper Cu in ultrathin CIGS solar cell. Then, the introduction of a 25 nm thick Al2O3 passivation layer with negative fixed charges at the CIGS/Al2O3 interface allowed an improvement in the device performance where we recorded an efficiency η = 11.22% and FF = 64%. Finally, we conducted an optimization based on the introduction of a P+-CIGS BSF layer. The evolution of the electrical characteristics of the ultrathin solar cell was discussed as a function of the acceptor density and the BSF layer thickness. This AZO/i-ZnO/CdS/P-CIGS/P+-CIGS/Mo configuration allowed to estimate an increase in efficiency up to η = 15.47% (FF = 73.46%). |
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List of References |
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