Numerical investigation of SWCNT based heterostructure solar cell with C₆₀ as buffer layer and integrating the structure with different BSF (CdTe/NiO/SnS)

Abstract P-N type semiconductor-based heterostructure solar cells have garnered significant interest for their dual benefits in addressing environmental challenges and meeting global energy demands. Using the SCAPS-1D simulator, this study performs numerical simulations to explore how variations in acceptor concentration (N A ), thickness (W), defect density in the Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube (SWCNT) absorber layer and different Back surface field (BSF) layers along with the properties of each layer affect the performance of our proposed solar cell models: (ZnO/C 60 /SWCNT/NiO), (ZnO/C 60 /SWCNT/CdTe) and (ZnO/C 60 /SWCNT/SnS). Here, three different Back surface field (BSF) layers (NiO, CdTe, SnS) with different structures are used to get better performance in solar cell. In the SWCNT–C 60 based heterostructure solar cell, the design parameters are optimized to enhance performance. This research aims to investigate the influence of the BSF layer and the absorber layer to achieve higher efficiency ( η %) while maintaining reasonable values for open circuit voltage (V OC ), short circuit current (J SC ), and fill factor (FF). By using ZnO and C 60 as n-type, SWCNT (used as absorber as well) and NiO or CdTe or SnS as p-type along with the front and back contact, a simulated efficiency of 28.88% for NiO, 30.70% for CdTe and 31.94% for SnS have been achieved by optimizing the design parameters, which are N A = 4 × 10 17 cm −3 , W = 2.0 μm, temperature = 300 K and the total defects density and recombination were varied and optimized at 1 × 10 15 cm −3 and 1 × 10 26 cm 6 s −1 respectively. To conduct this research, standard sun intensity was maintained at AM 1.5 or 1 kW m −2 , commonly referred to as one sun illumination. Comparing three different BSF layers through numerical studies, the SWCNT-based heterostructure solar cell model with SnS BSF layer demonstrated higher efficiency (31.94%). This highlights the promising outcomes of using SWCNT in combination with different BSF layers for heterostructure solar cell designs.