Electron and hole transport layers optimization by numerical simulation of a perovskite solar cell

• Published in: Solar energy Vol. 181; pp. 372 - 378
• Main Authors: Azri, Faiza, Meftah, Afak, Sengouga, Nouredine, Meftah, Amjad
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Elsevier Ltd 15-03-2019; Pergamon Press Inc
• Subjects: Computer simulation; Defects; Energy conversion efficiency; ETL; HTL; Mathematical models; Optimization; Perovskite; Perovskites; Photovoltaic cells; Power conversion efficiency; Simulation; Solar cells; Solar energy; Thiocyanates; Titanium dioxide; Transport; Zinc; Zinc oxide; Zinc oxides; Perovskite; HTL; Simulation; ETL; Power conversion efficiency; Defects
• ISSN: 0038-092X; 1471-1257
• DOI: 10.1016/j.solener.2019.02.017

•An n-i-p perovskite solar cell was studied using SCAPS simulator.•Several materials were suggested as electron and hole transport (ETL, HTL)•Best ETL materials are Zinc oxide (ZnO) and titanium dioxide (TiO2)•Best HTL material is Copper (I) thiocyanate (CuSCN)•Best absorber thickness which was found to be 1 µm.
In this paper an n-i-p perovskite solar cell was studied using SCAPS simulator. The primary solar cell’s structure is FTO/ITO/Perovskite/PEDOT:PSS/Au which has achieved a power conversion efficiency of η ∼ 13.94%. In order to enhance its performance, several materials were suggested as electron and hole transport layers (ETL and HTL). Among the proposed ETL materials it was found that Zinc oxide (ZnO) and titanium dioxide (TiO2) are the most adequate materials. For the HTL materials, among the proposed materials Copper (I) thiocyanate (CuSCN) forms the appropriate one. Also, the solar cell performance was improved by optimizing the absorber thickness which was found to be 1 µm. With these considerations the power conversion efficiency reached 25.02%. In addition, the detrimental effect of defects at the perovskite/TiO2 interface on the solar cell performance is also presented.