Numerical modeling of the impact of an anti-reflective coating layer on a silicon solar cell using PC1D

This study presents a numerical simulation of the behavior of three types of solar cells: Si (N⁺)/Si (P), SnO₂/Si (N⁺)/Si (P), and ZnO/Si (N⁺)/Si (P). The research focuses on analyzing the impact of SnO₂ and ZnO window layers on the device's overall performance using the well-known photovoltaic modeling software PC1D. The addition of SnO₂ and ZnO layers, which act as anti-reflective coatings, was carefully evaluated for their influence on the solar cells' key characteristics, including current-voltage (I-V), power-voltage (P-V), and conversion efficiency. Comparative analysis revealed a significant improvement in the performance of the cells incorporating these window layers. Specifically, the SnO₂/Si (N⁺)/Si (P) structure exhibited an efficiency enhancement of 31.41%, while the ZnO/Si (N⁺)/Si (P) structure achieved a further increase, reaching 33.64%. These findings underscore the critical role of anti-reflective coatings in optimizing photovoltaic performance, highlighting their potential for improving the efficiency of silicon-based solar cells in practical applications. This work contributes to the advancement of cost-effective and high-performance solar energy technologies.