Theoretical Study of Inorganic Charge Transport Layer of Perovskite Solar Cells Using Scaps Software

Abstract

Energy can be from renewable and non-renewable sources. Solar energy is a clean renewable energy derived from the sun in the form of light and heat. Although, only a small fraction reaches the earth. Perovskite is a generic name referring to materials that exhibits the same crystal structure as calcium titanate. The aim of this research is to investigate the performance of inorganic charge carriers of perovskite solar cells using SCAPS 1D software for the simulation. The objectives are to:  analyze the effects of variation of operational temperature on Perovskite Solar Cells (PSCs), optimize the thickness of titanium oxide (TiO2) electron transport layer (ETL); and investigate the effect of work function of the back metallic contact on the performance of PSCs. A comprehensive analysis was conducted to evaluate the software's impact on cell performance focusing on key parameters such as thickness, temperature, and work function to optimize device efficiency. This exploration provides new insights into optimizing device efficiency and stability by understanding how surface characteristics affect performance which extends its analysis beyond traditional parameters like temperature and thickness. The findings reveal that while temperature fluctuations maintain consistency with current density (Jsc) and exhibit slight variations in fill factor (FF), there's a consistent decrease in open-circuit voltage (Voc) across all temperatures. Notably, at 303 K, the efficiency remains relatively stable. Moreover, exceeding the optimal thickness of 0.20 μm adversely affects perovskite solar cell efficiency, while achieving an optimal work function of 5.0 eV for the back metallic contact is critical for maximizing performance. These results underscore the significance of employing inorganic transport materials to address the stability challenges inherent in perovskite solar cells, paving the way for cost-effective fabrication methods without compromising device performance. It is recommended that optimization process be carried out for other inorganic charge carriers of the perovskite solar cells like Zn2O, NO, SnO2 and others to see which one has a better performance in the fabrication.