Designing few-layer graphene Schottky contact solar cells: Theoretical efficiency limits and parametric optimization

We theoretically study the efficiency limits and performance characteristics of few-layer graphene–semiconductor solar cells (FGSCs) based on a Schottky contact device structure. We model and compare the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of various configurations by explicitly considering the non-Richardson thermionic emission across few-layer graphene/semiconductor Schottky heterostructures. The calculations reveal that ABA-stacked trilayer graphene–silicon solar cell exhibits a maximal conversion efficiency exceeding 26% due to a lower reversed saturation current when compared to that of the ABC-stacking configuration. The thermal coefficients of PCE for ABA and ABC stacking FGSCs are –0.061%/K and –0.048%/K, respectively. Our work offers insights into optimal designs of graphene-based solar cells, thus paving a route toward the design of high-performance FGSC for future nanoscale energy converters.