Emitter Selection for Efficient Si Solar Cells:PC1D Simulations

The p-n junction solar cell is investigated by PC1D simulation by keeping both p type and n type as a front/emitter side towards the irradiated solar spectrum. The calculated cell parameters viz. characteristics I-V, external quantum efficiency (EQE) and open circuit voltage (V_oc) helps to analyze the efficiency of solar cells. The analysis indicated that the surface recombination in the short wavelength region on the front surface can be overcome by decreasing the n type front layer thickness and hence, improve the efficiency of cell. Moreover, the reflectance in the visible regime of solar spectrum can be reduced by increasing the p type layer thickness but this improvement is not believed to be significant and hence, the study suggests the n type as a better material for front side selection in comparisons to p type. Furthermore, the fill factor (FF) and power conversion efficiency (PCE) calculation helps to optimize the layer thickness. We have achieved an open circuit voltage of 723mV and a fill factor of about 84% at 0.5μm layer thickness of n type material.