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Employing SiO2/TiO2/ZrO2 blends for boosting the power conversion efficiency of polycrystalline Si solar cells

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Abstract

Obtaining maximum efficiency is one of the key elements of renewable energy sources in the present era. In this context, the research focuses on enhancing the power conversion efficiency of silicon solar cells through anti-reflective coating. Better light transmittance in silicon solar cells with anti-reflective thin film coatings results in higher power conversion efficiency. The RF sputtering technique was employed to deposit the thin film of ARCs on polycrystalline Si solar cells. Blends of metal oxides such as SiO2, TiO2, and ZrO2 have been employed in different combinations to achieve a higher PCE. Using the RF sputtering technique, the coating was uniform. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were both used to examine the structural and morphological characteristics of ARC-coated and uncoated silicon solar cells, respectively. By employing the four-point probe approach, the electrical resistivity was measured in the dark and at room temperature. Solar cell samples were examined for their optical properties through UV–visible spectroscopy. By comparing the efficiency of the ARC-coated and uncoated solar cell samples, it is evident that solar cells coated with the SiO2/TiO2/ZrO2 mechanical blend show an improved PCE of 19.8% under open atmospheric conditions and 21.93% under controlled atmospheric conditions compared to the uncoated, SiO2, TiO2, and ZrO2-coated cells.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical Engineering, Kongu Engineering College, Erode, India

    Manju Sri Anbupalani

  2. Department of Food Technology, Kongu Engineering College, Erode, India

    Chitra Devi Venkatachalam

  3. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Kongu Engineering College, Erode, India

    Rajasekar Rathanasamy

  4. Department of Mechatronics Engineering, Kongu Engineering College, Erode, India

    Gobinath Velu Kaliyannan

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  1. Manju Sri Anbupalani
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  2. Chitra Devi Venkatachalam
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  3. Rajasekar Rathanasamy
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  4. Gobinath Velu Kaliyannan
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Contributions

MSA: Conceptualization, experimental design, carrying out measurements, Writing-original draft; CDV: Supervision, Validation; RR: Conceptualization, Methodology, Validation, Writing-Reviewing, and Editing; GVK: Writing-Reviewing and Editing.

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Correspondence to Manju Sri Anbupalani.

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Anbupalani, M.S., Venkatachalam, C.D., Rathanasamy, R. et al. Employing SiO2/TiO2/ZrO2 blends for boosting the power conversion efficiency of polycrystalline Si solar cells. J Mater Sci: Mater Electron 34, 2184 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-023-11589-y

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