Simulation and performance analysis of superstrate Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 solar cells using nanostructured Zn 1– x V x O thin films

In this paper, we describe in the first step the structural, electrical and optical properties of the nanostructured Zn 1– x V x O thin films deposited on glass substrates by rf-magnetron sputtering using aerogel nanoparticles synthesised by the sol–gel method. The best properties, satisfying the role of window and buffer layers, were achieved, respectively, for the films of Zn 0.99 V 0.01 O elaborated at room temperature and Zn 0.80 V 0.20 O at 200oC. In the second step, the nanostructured Zn 0.99 V 0.01 O and Zn 0.80 V 0.20 O layers are, respectively, proposed as alternative to the traditional (ITO) window and (CdS) buffer layers and tested numerically in Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 (CIGS) solar cell using one-dimensional AMPS-1D device simulator. The influence of physical and geometrical parameters of the p -type CIGS absorber layer on the performance of the superstrate SLG/(n+)Zn 0.99 V 0.01 O/(n)Zn 0.80 V 0.20 O/(p)Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 /Mo solar cell was investigated. The calculations assume fixed Zn 1– x V x O input par...