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Photovoltaic Performance Improvement of Dilute Nitrides GaAs1-xNx -Based Thin-Film Solar Cell Structure Using SCAPS-1D Software

Received: 8 October 2024     Accepted: 12 November 2024     Published: 29 November 2024
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Abstract

The recent industrial revolution has increased the demand for the possible use of renewable energy sources to meet the World’s high energy requirements and to minimize the quantity of green-house gases (GHGs) in the atmosphere at once in a sustainable manner. Solar energy is one of the renewable energy sources that has garnered the most attention for sustainable energy production because it is ecologically benign, clean as well as widely available. The main issue with solar cells in comparison to traditional systems, however, continue to be their greater cost and efficiency restriction. It is anticipated that the issues will be resolved as the technology progresses as well as precious fabricating materials are used more. Dilute nitrides compound semiconductors, such as GaAs1-xNx, GaP1-xNx and GayIn1-yAs1-xNx have become promising materials because they have unique properties suitable for novel next generation optoelectronics especially photovoltaic applications. In addition, among dilute nitrides, GaAs1-xNx attracts much attention to the researchers because of its excellent absorption coefficients and charge-transport properties, which are importantly desirable for high efficiency solar cell. Therefore, in this research work, the thin-film solar cell’s performance metrics with dilute nitrides GaAs1-xNx as absorber layer were investigated by SCAPS-1D. The impacts of bandgap bowing and absorber layer’s thickness as well as operating temperatures, work functions of back-contact were evaluated to optimize open-circuited voltage (Voc), short-circuited current density (Jsc), fill-factor (FF) and efficiency (η). The absorber layer’s bandgap dependence performances study revealed that efficiency around 46% can be achieved with exceptional feasibilities such as lower density of as-grown defects and reliable lifetime by tuning bandgap to 0.82eV via adjusting nitrogen concentration in GaAs1-xNx. The assessment of performance for different absorber layer thicknesses showed that thickness around 2000nm is ideal for improving the suggested solar cell efficiency. Furthermore, higher efficiency and optimized other performance parameters obtaining at temperature 300K suggested that it is preferable to run the solar cell at that temperature to ensure steady-state functioning. Finally, it was explored by evaluating dependence of Voc, Jsc, FF and η on back-contact work functions at two bandgap energies of absorber layer that specially Jsc was dramatically influenced with changing bandgap of absorber layer. The research findings would be helpful for emerging renewable energy-based nanotechnology for reducing the world higher energy crisis and green-house gases at once in a sustainable manner.

Published in Engineering and Applied Sciences (Volume 9, Issue 6)
DOI 10.11648/j.eas.20240906.12
Page(s) 136-146
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Thin-Film Solar Cell, Dilute Nitrides Semiconductors, Solar Energy, Fill-Factor, Efficiency, Short-circuited Current Density.

References
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Cite This Article
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    Sultan, Z., Howlader, N., Hossen, F., Joy, A., Haque, A. (2024). Photovoltaic Performance Improvement of Dilute Nitrides GaAs1-xNx -Based Thin-Film Solar Cell Structure Using SCAPS-1D Software. Engineering and Applied Sciences, 9(6), 136-146. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.eas.20240906.12

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    ACS Style

    Sultan, Z.; Howlader, N.; Hossen, F.; Joy, A.; Haque, A. Photovoltaic Performance Improvement of Dilute Nitrides GaAs1-xNx -Based Thin-Film Solar Cell Structure Using SCAPS-1D Software. Eng. Appl. Sci. 2024, 9(6), 136-146. doi: 10.11648/j.eas.20240906.12

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    AMA Style

    Sultan Z, Howlader N, Hossen F, Joy A, Haque A. Photovoltaic Performance Improvement of Dilute Nitrides GaAs1-xNx -Based Thin-Film Solar Cell Structure Using SCAPS-1D Software. Eng Appl Sci. 2024;9(6):136-146. doi: 10.11648/j.eas.20240906.12

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  • @article{10.11648/j.eas.20240906.12,
      author = {Zamil Sultan and Nuralam Howlader and Forhad Hossen and Asaduzzaman Joy and Asadul Haque},
      title = {Photovoltaic Performance Improvement of Dilute Nitrides GaAs1-xNx -Based Thin-Film Solar Cell Structure Using SCAPS-1D Software
    },
      journal = {Engineering and Applied Sciences},
      volume = {9},
      number = {6},
      pages = {136-146},
      doi = {10.11648/j.eas.20240906.12},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.eas.20240906.12},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.eas.20240906.12},
      abstract = {The recent industrial revolution has increased the demand for the possible use of renewable energy sources to meet the World’s high energy requirements and to minimize the quantity of green-house gases (GHGs) in the atmosphere at once in a sustainable manner. Solar energy is one of the renewable energy sources that has garnered the most attention for sustainable energy production because it is ecologically benign, clean as well as widely available. The main issue with solar cells in comparison to traditional systems, however, continue to be their greater cost and efficiency restriction. It is anticipated that the issues will be resolved as the technology progresses as well as precious fabricating materials are used more. Dilute nitrides compound semiconductors, such as GaAs1-xNx, GaP1-xNx and GayIn1-yAs1-xNx have become promising materials because they have unique properties suitable for novel next generation optoelectronics especially photovoltaic applications. In addition, among dilute nitrides, GaAs1-xNx attracts much attention to the researchers because of its excellent absorption coefficients and charge-transport properties, which are importantly desirable for high efficiency solar cell. Therefore, in this research work, the thin-film solar cell’s performance metrics with dilute nitrides GaAs1-xNx as absorber layer were investigated by SCAPS-1D. The impacts of bandgap bowing and absorber layer’s thickness as well as operating temperatures, work functions of back-contact were evaluated to optimize open-circuited voltage (Voc), short-circuited current density (Jsc), fill-factor (FF) and efficiency (η). The absorber layer’s bandgap dependence performances study revealed that efficiency around 46% can be achieved with exceptional feasibilities such as lower density of as-grown defects and reliable lifetime by tuning bandgap to 0.82eV via adjusting nitrogen concentration in GaAs1-xNx. The assessment of performance for different absorber layer thicknesses showed that thickness around 2000nm is ideal for improving the suggested solar cell efficiency. Furthermore, higher efficiency and optimized other performance parameters obtaining at temperature 300K suggested that it is preferable to run the solar cell at that temperature to ensure steady-state functioning. Finally, it was explored by evaluating dependence of Voc, Jsc, FF and η on back-contact work functions at two bandgap energies of absorber layer that specially Jsc was dramatically influenced with changing bandgap of absorber layer. The research findings would be helpful for emerging renewable energy-based nanotechnology for reducing the world higher energy crisis and green-house gases at once in a sustainable manner.
    },
     year = {2024}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Photovoltaic Performance Improvement of Dilute Nitrides GaAs1-xNx -Based Thin-Film Solar Cell Structure Using SCAPS-1D Software
    
    AU  - Zamil Sultan
    AU  - Nuralam Howlader
    AU  - Forhad Hossen
    AU  - Asaduzzaman Joy
    AU  - Asadul Haque
    Y1  - 2024/11/29
    PY  - 2024
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.eas.20240906.12
    DO  - 10.11648/j.eas.20240906.12
    T2  - Engineering and Applied Sciences
    JF  - Engineering and Applied Sciences
    JO  - Engineering and Applied Sciences
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    EP  - 146
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2575-1468
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.eas.20240906.12
    AB  - The recent industrial revolution has increased the demand for the possible use of renewable energy sources to meet the World’s high energy requirements and to minimize the quantity of green-house gases (GHGs) in the atmosphere at once in a sustainable manner. Solar energy is one of the renewable energy sources that has garnered the most attention for sustainable energy production because it is ecologically benign, clean as well as widely available. The main issue with solar cells in comparison to traditional systems, however, continue to be their greater cost and efficiency restriction. It is anticipated that the issues will be resolved as the technology progresses as well as precious fabricating materials are used more. Dilute nitrides compound semiconductors, such as GaAs1-xNx, GaP1-xNx and GayIn1-yAs1-xNx have become promising materials because they have unique properties suitable for novel next generation optoelectronics especially photovoltaic applications. In addition, among dilute nitrides, GaAs1-xNx attracts much attention to the researchers because of its excellent absorption coefficients and charge-transport properties, which are importantly desirable for high efficiency solar cell. Therefore, in this research work, the thin-film solar cell’s performance metrics with dilute nitrides GaAs1-xNx as absorber layer were investigated by SCAPS-1D. The impacts of bandgap bowing and absorber layer’s thickness as well as operating temperatures, work functions of back-contact were evaluated to optimize open-circuited voltage (Voc), short-circuited current density (Jsc), fill-factor (FF) and efficiency (η). The absorber layer’s bandgap dependence performances study revealed that efficiency around 46% can be achieved with exceptional feasibilities such as lower density of as-grown defects and reliable lifetime by tuning bandgap to 0.82eV via adjusting nitrogen concentration in GaAs1-xNx. The assessment of performance for different absorber layer thicknesses showed that thickness around 2000nm is ideal for improving the suggested solar cell efficiency. Furthermore, higher efficiency and optimized other performance parameters obtaining at temperature 300K suggested that it is preferable to run the solar cell at that temperature to ensure steady-state functioning. Finally, it was explored by evaluating dependence of Voc, Jsc, FF and η on back-contact work functions at two bandgap energies of absorber layer that specially Jsc was dramatically influenced with changing bandgap of absorber layer. The research findings would be helpful for emerging renewable energy-based nanotechnology for reducing the world higher energy crisis and green-house gases at once in a sustainable manner.
    
    VL  - 9
    IS  - 6
    ER  - 

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Author Information
  • Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University, Dinajpur, Bangladesh

  • Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University, Dinajpur, Bangladesh

  • Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University, Dinajpur, Bangladesh

  • Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University, Dinajpur, Bangladesh

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