Numerical Simulation of the Performance of Sb2Se3 Solar Cell via Optimizing the Optoelectronic Properties Based SCAPS-1D

Shahbaz Abbas; Saraswati Bajgai; Shahariar Chowdhury; Asmaa Soheil Najm; Mohammad Shah Jamal; Kuaanan Techato; Sittiporn Channumsin; Suwat Sreesawet; Manun Channumsin; Amel Laref; Kazi Sajedur Rahman; Araa Mebdir Holi

doi:10.3390/ma15186272

Numerical Simulation of the Performance of Sb₂Se₃ Solar Cell via Optimizing the Optoelectronic Properties Based SCAPS-1D

Materials (Basel). 2022 Sep 9;15(18):6272. doi: 10.3390/ma15186272.

Affiliations

¹ Faculty of Environmental Management, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla 90110, Thailand.
² Chemical Engineering Department, University of Technology, Baghdad 10066, Iraq.
³ Institute of Fuel Research and Development (IFRD), Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research(BCSIR), Dhaka 1205, Bangladesh.
⁴ Space Technology Research Centre, Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA), Chonburi 20230, Thailand.
⁵ Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Rajamangala University of Technology Tawan-Ok, Chonburi 20110, Thailand.
⁶ Physics Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia.
⁷ Solar Energy Research Institute (SERI), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi 43600, Selangor, Malaysia.
⁸ Department of Physics, College of Education, University of Al-Qadisiyah, Al-Qadisiyah, Al-Diwaniyah 58002, Iraq.

Abstract

Antimony trisulfide (Sb₂Se₃), a non-toxic and accessible substance, has possibilities as a material for use in solar cells. The current study numerically analyses Sb₂Se₃ solar cells through the program Solar Cell Capacitance Simulator (SCAPS). A detailed simulation and analysis of the influence of the Sb₂Se₃ layer's thickness, defect density, band gap, energy level, and carrier concentration on the devices' performance are carried out. The results indicate that a good device performance is guaranteed with the following values in the Sb₂Se₃ layer: an 800 optimal thickness for the Sb₂Se₃ absorber; less than 10¹⁵ cm^-3 for the absorber defect density; a 1.2 eV optimum band gap; a 0.1 eV energy level (above the valence band); and a 10¹⁴ cm^-3 carrier concentration. The highest efficiency of 30% can be attained following optimization of diverse parameters. The simulation outcomes offer beneficial insights and directions for designing and engineering Sb₂Se₃ solar cells.

Keywords: SCAPS-1D; antimony triselenide; bandgap; career concentration; solar cells.

Grants and funding

This research was funded by Prince of Songkla University and Ministry of Higher Education Science (Grant Number REV64015), This work was also funded by Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (Public Organization): GISTDA, Thailand.