Correlation between trap-assisted non-radiative recombination losses and thermal agitation in SnS-based solar cell: A state-of-the-art computational analysis

• 2D simulation of ZnO/SnS/spiro-OMeTAD solar cell using COMSOL Multiphysics is carried out. • SnS an optoelectronic material, is used as an absorber layer to enhance photovoltaic performance. • Key parameters (thickness, band gap, acceptor/donor densities and temperature) are optimized for efficiency. • A correlation between thermal agitation and trap-assisted non-radiative recombination losses is found. • Increasing ETL’s donor doping density 26.36% efficiency was achieved. As world transitions towards sustainable energy paradigm, solar energy has emerged as vital component of this shift. Among various solar cell architectures, SnS based solar cells have garnered significant attention due to their potential for high efficiency and environment friendly composition. This study uses COMSOL software to explore 2D ZnO/SnS/spiro-OMeTAD solar cells, assuming ohmic front and back contacts. The influence of various parameters, including the thickness of the absorber layer, thickness of electron transport layer, band gap, acceptor/donor doping densities, and operating temperature, on performance of the proposed solar cell was analyzed. Particularly, the correlation between trap-assisted non-radiative recombination and temperature gradient was studied and found enhanced recombination probability at higher temperatures. Efficiency was increased up to 14.755 % as the SnS thickness was varied from 10 to 1610 nm. Further increase up to 19.112 % was achieved by optimizing donor densities signifying SnS-based solar cells as promising candidates for photovoltaic applications.