Experimental fabrication and computational modelling of CuO-based semi-transparent solar cells with DMD top contacts

Abstract Inorganic materials hold immense potential for fabricating various optoelectronic devices. This study explores the fabrication and performance of semi-transparent solar cells (STSCs) featuring a CuO p-layer, an AZO n-layer, and a Dielectric/Metal/Dielectric (DMD) MoO x /Ti/MoO x top contact. CuO layers were sputtered at oxygen concentrations of 10%, 15%, and 20%, with the 20% oxygen concentration yielding the best results. The CuO (002) monoclinic phase was the most prominent, exhibiting a carrier concentration of 1.77 × 10 16 cm −3 , mobility of 4.47 cm 2 V −1 ·s −1 , and a transparency exceeding 48%. Meanwhile, the AZO layer demonstrated over 80% transmittance, a carrier concentration of 6.61 × 10 20 cm −3 , and mobility of 6.12 cm 2 /V·s. The DMD top contact exhibited more than 80% transparency, ensuring effective light management and high conductivity. Current–voltage (I-V) characterization revealed that the device with 20% oxygen concentration achieved an open-circuit voltage (V oc ) of 0.95 V and an efficiency of 0.108%, indicating enhanced device performance. Theoretical calculations using SCAPS-1D were employed to analyse the I–V characteristics and quantum efficiency (QE) of the fabricated device, providing insights for performance optimization. Additionally, SCAPS-1D was used to evaluate the Average Visible Transmittance (AVT) and Light Utilization Efficiency (LUE) to further understand the device’s optical properties.