Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Computational optimization and optical analysis of thin-film organic solar cells for high efficiency

  • Published:
Journal of Computational Electronics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This paper reports the computational investigation of two thin-film organic solar cell (TFOSC) structures which are based on two different species, i.e., fullerene-based material (PTB7:PCBM) and non-fullerene-based material (PIF8BT:PDI). Computational investigations are performed on the optimization of thickness for the active absorber layers because the major portion of the sunlight is absorbed in this area. The electrical parameters include the open-circuit voltage (Voc), short-circuit current density (Jsc), fill factor (FF), and power conversion efficiency (η). The extracted modeling results indicate that 200 nm is sufficient to cover the visible spectrum range of photons within the investigation range of 150–400 nm. Moreover, the present study also highlights the optical analysis of the architecture, which shows the absorption of photons in the active region with various thicknesses. After the comparative analysis of the two structures, the results suggest that the structure based on fullerene is 0.97% more efficient than the non-fullerene-based structure. The highest conversion efficiency achieved with the fullerene-based scheme (FTO/PEDOT:PSS/PTB7:PCBM/PFN/Ag) was 4.79%, whereas the highest efficiency rate delivered by the non-fullerene scheme (FTO/PEDOT:PSS/PIF8BT:PDI/PFN/Ag) was 3.82%. The recorded results are in good agreement with the theoretical models and standard action.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

Similar content being viewed by others

Data availability statement

All the data are available within this manuscript.

References

  1. Marlow, P., Manger, F., Fischer, K., Sprau, C., Colsmann, A.: Eco-friendly fabrication of organic solar cells: electrostatic stabilization of surfactant-free organic nanoparticle dispersions by illumination. Nanoscale 14, 5569–5578 (2022)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Sampaio, P.G.V., González, M.O.A.: A review on organic photovoltaic cell. Int. J. Energy Res. 46(13), 17813–17828 (2022)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Zouache, R., Bouchama, I., Saidani, O., Djedoui, L., Zaidi, E.: Numerical study of high-efficiency CIGS solar cells by inserting a BSF µc-Si: H layer. J. Comput. Electron. 21(6), 1386–1395 (2022)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Zghaibeh, M., Okonkwo, P.C., Emori, W., Ahmed, T., Mohamed, A., Aliyu, M., et al.: CdTe solar cells fabrication and examination techniques: a focused review. Int. J. Green Energy (2022). https://doi.org/10.1080/15435075.2022.2126943

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Maharana, B., Jha, R., Chatterjee, S.: Metal oxides as buffer layers for CZTS based solar cells: a numerical analysis by SCAPS-1D software. Opt. Mater. 131, 112734 (2022)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Nugroho, H.S., Refantero, G., Septiani, N.L.W., Iqbal, M., Marno, S., Abdullah, H., et al.: A progress review on the modification of CZTS (e)-based thin-film solar cells. J. Ind. Eng. Chem. 105, 83–110 (2022)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Sharma, R., Sharma, A., Agarwal, S., Dhaka, M.: Stability and efficiency issues, solutions and advancements in perovskite solar cells: a review. Sol. Energy (2022). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solener.2022.08.001

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Sreejith, S., Ajayan, J., Kollem, S., Sivasankari, B.: A comprehensive review on thin film amorphous silicon solar cells. SILICON (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12633-021-01644-w

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Khir, H., Pandey, A., Saidur, R., Ahmad, M.S., Abd Rahim, N., Dewika, M., et al.: Recent advancements and challenges in flexible low temperature dye sensitised solar cells. Sustain. Energy Technol. Assess. 53, 102745 (2022)

    Google Scholar 

  10. Emin, S., Singh, S.P., Han, L., Satoh, N., Islam, A.: Colloidal quantum dot solar cells. Sol. Energy 85, 1264–1282 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Mandal, P.: Application of plasmonics in solar cell efficiency improvement: a brief review on recent progress. Plasmonics (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11468-022-01616-9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Farooq, W., Khan, A.D., Khan, A.D., Rauf, A., Khan, S.D., Ali, H., et al.: Thin-film tandem organic solar cells with improved efficiency. IEEE Access 8, 74093–74100 (2020)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Li, G., Li, M., Taylor, R., Hao, Y., Besagni, G., Markides, C.: Solar energy utilisation: current status and roll-out potential. Appl. Therm. Eng. 209, 118285 (2022)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Rahman, M.M., Khan, I., Field, D.L., Techato, K., Alameh, K.: Powering agriculture: present status, future potential, and challenges of renewable energy applications. Renew. Energy 188, 731–749 (2022)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Hoel, M., Kverndokk, S.: Depletion of fossil fuels and the impacts of global warming. Resour. Energy Econ. 18, 115–136 (1996)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Janjua, M.R.S.A., Irfan, A., Hussien, M., Ali, M., Saqib, M., Sulaman, M.: Machine-learning analysis of small-molecule donors for fullerene based organic solar cells. Energy Technol. 10, 2200019 (2022)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Xue, P., Cheng, P., Han, R.P., Zhan, X.: Printing fabrication of large-area non-fullerene organic solar cells. Mater. Horizons (2022). https://doi.org/10.1039/D1MH01317C

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Sharma, S.S., Dadhich, A.K., Srivastava, S.: Organic Solar Cells: Fundamentals, Working Principle and Device Structures. Adv. Mater. Nano Syst. Theor. Exp. Part 2, 199–236 (2022)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Mohammad, T., Kumar, V., Dutta, V.: Spray deposited indium doped tin oxide thin films for organic solar cell application. Physica E 117, 113793 (2020)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Sen, S., Islam, R.: Effect of different layers on the performance of P3HT: PCBM-based organic solar cell. Braz. J. Phys. 51, 1661–1669 (2021)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Puspita, D., Syarifah, R.D., Rizal, N.S.: GPVDM simulation of thickness effect on power conversion efficiency of PEDOT: PSS/P3HT: PCBM solar cell performance, In: AIP Conference Proceedings, p. 070002. (2022)

  22. Aga, F.G., Bakare, F.F., Dibaba, S.T., Gelmecha, D.J., Amente, C.: Investigation of the impact of active layer and charge transfer layer materials on the performance of polymer solar cells through simulation. Adv Mater. Sci. Eng. 1–7, 2022 (2022)

    Google Scholar 

  23. Hidayat, A.T.: Thickness optimization of organic solar cell by optical and 1D drift-diffusion electrical modeling. Indones. Phys. Rev. 5, 116–129 (2022)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Zhao, Z., Wu, Q., Xia, F., Chen, X., Liu, Y., Zhang, W., et al.: Improving the conductivity of PEDOT: PSS hole transport layer in polymer solar cells via copper (II) bromide salt doping. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces. 7, 1439–1448 (2015)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Sun, Q., Zhang, F., Wang, J., An, Q., Zhao, C., Li, L., et al.: A two-step strategy to clarify the roles of a solution processed PFN interfacial layer in highly efficient polymer solar cells. J. Mater. Chem. A 3, 18432–18441 (2015)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Yambem, S.D., Liao, K.-S., Curran, S.A.: Flexible Ag electrode for use in organic photovoltaics. Sol. Energy Mater. Sol. Cells 95, 3060–3064 (2011)

    Google Scholar 

  27. Jahangir, K., Nowsherwan, G.A., Hussain, S.S., Riaz, S., Naseem, S.: Electrical simulation and optimization Of PTB7: PC70BM Based Organic Solar Cell Using GPVDM Simulation Software. ICRRD Qual. Index Res. J 2, 131–140 (2021)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Foster, S., Deledalle, F., Mitani, A., Kimura, T., Kim, K.B., Okachi, T., et al.: Electron collection as a limit to polymer: PCBM solar cell efficiency: effect of blend microstructure on carrier mobility and device performance in PTB7: PCBM. Adv. Energy Mater. 4, 1400311 (2014)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Fernandes, L., Gaspar, H., Tomé, J.P., Figueira, F., Bernardo, G.: Thermal stability of low-bandgap copolymers PTB7 and PTB7-Th and their bulk heterojunction composites. Polym. Bull. 75, 515–532 (2018)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Farooq, W., Alshahrani, T., Kazmi, S.A.A., Iqbal, J., Khan, H.A., Khan, M., et al.: Materials optimization for thin-film copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) solar cell based on distributed braggs reflector. Optik 227, 165987 (2021)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Stelling, C., Singh, C.R., Karg, M., König, T.A., Thelakkat, M., Retsch, M.: Plasmonic nanomeshes: their ambivalent role as transparent electrodes in organic solar cells. Sci. Rep. 7, 1–13 (2017)

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the Taif University Researchers Supporting Project TURSP 2020/34, Taif University, Taif, Saudi Arabia for supporting this work

Funding

This work was supported by the Taif University Researchers Supporting Project TURSP 2020/34, Taif University, Taif, Saudi Arabia.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Electrical Engineering, Sarhad University of Science and Information Technology, Peshawar, 25000, Pakistan

    Waqas Farooq

  2. Department of Electrical Engineering, College of Engineering, Taif University, P.O. Box 11099, Taif, 21944, Saudi Arabia

    Abdullah Alzahrani & Sherif S. M. Ghoneim

Authors
  1. Waqas Farooq
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Abdullah Alzahrani
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Sherif S. M. Ghoneim
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

All authors contributed equally to this research.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Waqas Farooq.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Farooq, W., Alzahrani, A. & Ghoneim, S.S.M. Computational optimization and optical analysis of thin-film organic solar cells for high efficiency. J Comput Electron 22, 867–873 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10825-023-02019-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10825-023-02019-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation