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Efficiency Enhancement of Ultra-thin CIGS Solar Cells Using Bandgap Grading and Embedding Au Plasmonic Nanoparticles

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Abstract

The objective of this study is to enhance the efficiency of copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) solar cells. To accomplish that, composition grading of absorber layer was carried out by using SILVACO’s technology aided computer design (TCAD) ATLAS program. Results showed a meaningful improvement of output parameters including open-circuit voltage (Voc), short-circuit current (Isc), fill factor (FF), and power conversion efficiency (η). For further performance improvement of the cell, Au plasmonic scattering nanoparticles were loaded on the top of the ZnO window layer. Plasmonic nanoparticles can restrict, absorb, navigate, or scatter the incident light. By using the spherical Au nanoparticles, a very good increase in the light absorption in the cell over the reference planar CIGS solar cell was observed. The highest η = 19.01% was achieved for the designed ultra-thin bandgap-graded CIGS solar cell decorated by Au nanoparticles.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Electrical Engineering, Nour Branch, Islamic Azad University, Nour, Iran

    Sahar Royanian & Reza Yousefi

  2. Nano Research Lab, Lahijan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Lahijan, Iran

    Ali Abdolahzadeh Ziabari

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  1. Sahar Royanian
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  2. Ali Abdolahzadeh Ziabari
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  3. Reza Yousefi
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Correspondence to Ali Abdolahzadeh Ziabari.

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Royanian, S., Abdolahzadeh Ziabari, A. & Yousefi, R. Efficiency Enhancement of Ultra-thin CIGS Solar Cells Using Bandgap Grading and Embedding Au Plasmonic Nanoparticles. Plasmonics 15, 1173–1182 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11468-020-01138-2

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