Numerical Study of a Solar Cell to Achieve the Highest InGaN Power Conversion Efficiency for the Whole In-Content Range

Micromachines (Basel). 2022 Oct 26;13(11):1828. doi: 10.3390/mi13111828.

Abstract

A solar cell structure with a graded bandgap absorber layer based on InGaN has been proposed to overcome early predicted efficiency. Technological issues such as carrier concentration in the p- and n-type are based on the data available in the literature. The influence of carrier concentration-dependent mobility on the absorber layer has been studied, obtaining considerable improvements in efficiency and photocurrent density. Efficiency over the tandem solar cell theoretical limit has been reached. A current density of 52.95 mA/cm2, with an efficiency of over 85%, is determined for a PiN structure with an InGaN step-graded bandgap absorption layer and 65.44% of power conversion efficiency for the same structure considering piezoelectric polarization of fully-strained layers and interfaces with electron and hole surface recombination velocities of 10-3 cm/s.

Keywords: InGaN; graded layers; simulation analysis; solar cell.

Grants and funding

This research is partly funded by the project for fabrication and evaluation of solar cells titled “Prototipo experimental para fabricación de películas delgadas CZTS utilizando el método SILAR” granted by Instituto de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación del Estado de Chiapas as part of Programa para el Desarrollo de la Investigación Científica, Desarrollo Tecnológico e Innovación 2022.