Performance evaluation of Eu ₂ NiMnO ₆ -based lead-free perovskite solar cells: a SCAPS-1D study

Lead-free double Perovskite materials are currently attracting considerable research interest owing to their environmentally friendly attributes. In this investigation, we have analyzed a tremendous double Perovskite material Eu₂NiMnO₆ (ENMO) as the absorber layer of a solar cell with the help of SCAPS-1D (a solar cell capacitance simulator). The material has become remarkable because of its narrow experimental band gap of 1.01 eV. Throughout the study, we investigated the effect of appropriate ETLs (Electron Transport Layers) and HTLs (Hole Transport Layers) with the absorber layer. For optimizing the device, tungsten disulfide (WS₂), C₆₀ (Buckminsterfullerene), and PCBM (Phenyl-C₆₁-butyric acid methyl ester) are used as ETLs, and Copper Ferrite Tin Sulfide (CFTS) is used as the HTL. Besides evaluating the effects of ETL and HTL, other important factors like absorber thickness, shunt and series resistance, temperature, capacitance, Mott-Schottky characteristics, recombination and generation rates, current density-voltage (<i>J</i>-<i>V</i>), and quantum efficiency are also analyzed. The simulation demonstrates that the optimal output parameters (<i>V</i> _OC, <i>J</i> _SC, FF, and PCE) for the WS₂ ETL based device are 0.720 V, 45.287 mA cm^-2, 81.02%, and 26.45%. It is the most detailed investigation with the highest reported efficiency, significantly higher than previous research work. Using this extensive simulation study, researchers will be able to create Perovskite Solar Cells (PSCs) that are both affordable and effective while also expanding the possibilities for solar technology.