Efficiency improvement of amorphous silicon single junction solar cell by design optimization

Performance enhancement of photovoltaic cells can be achieved by optimization of its design, selection of apt materials and technologies. In this study, impacts of donor and acceptor concentrations, thickness, band gap and others on electrical performance indicators like short-circuit current density (Jsc), open-circuit voltage (V
oc
), fill factor (FF) and efficiency (η) of a single junction based on hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) have been investigated using the innate solar cell models and simulation environment of AFORS-HET. With optimized and suitable model parameters of this type of solar cell η can be achieved up to 13.26% with window layer band-gap of around 2 eV, Jsc of 19.87mA/cm
²
, Voc of 0.967 volts, and fill factor of 0.689. Moreover the Quantum Efficiency (QE) analysis has revealed that the cell has better spectral response for 0.4 μm–0.65 μm which supports that it would be a good candidate as a top cell of double junction/micromorph solar cell configuration or as a middle cell in triple junction structures.