Step-by-step procedure and criteria for a <i>p</i> – <i>n</i> junction solar cell design

A theoretical <em>p</em>-<em>n</em> junction PV device design procedure comprising optical and electrical analyses accompanied by numerical simulations and modeling to determine the device structure, including material selection, all layers’ dimensions, doping concentrations, and performance characterization, is proposed. The proposed procedure is complemented by designing criteria, numerical modeling, and simulation algorithms. The practical implementation, including physical fabrication and practical measurements, was performed. A cadmium sulfide/cadmium telluride heterojunction material is used for practical implementation, and the exciton generation rate <em>G(x,</em><em>λ)</em> is used to define the correlation and optimization rules. Further, a correlation analysis of theoretical and practical results is realized to define improvement and optimization rules. The obtained results demonstrate the functionality of the proposed procedure, which can be adapted for different device structures and materials. The findings of this study can be of great interest to designers and engineers interested in correlating theoretical results with practical measurements.