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Numerical simulation and optimal design of perovskite solar cell based on sensitized zinc oxide electron-transport layer

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Abstract

The present manuscript deals with the numerical simulation and optimization of a planar perovskite solar cells (PSC) based on sensitized zinc oxide (ZnO) electron-transport layer (ETL) using solar cell capacitance simulator (SCAPS). Various device parameters such as perovskite thickness, doping density, bulk defect density, interface defect density and metal contact electrode effect on our PSC performance have been rigorously investigated. Simulation results demonstrate that optimizing the methylammonium lead triiodide perovskite (MAPbI3) absorber thickness of 600 nm with 1016 cm−3-dopant concentration and defect density lower than 1015 cm−3 is crucial for improved the device performance. Furthermore, the reduction of interfacial defect densities, specifically Zn:Co-NG/MAPbI3 to 1011 cm−2 and perovskite/Spiro-OMeTAD to 1012 cm−2, is crucial for enhancing device efficiency. In addition, replacing the Ag electrode with an Au electrode, which has a higher work function back contact material, is found to be more favorable for improving device efficiency. Through optimization, a high-efficiency perovskite solar cell with an efficiency of 21.16% is achieved. These simulation results can help researchers to construct high-performance planar perovskite solar cells in the most efficient way.

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The data that support the findings of this study are available upon request from the corresponding author.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Dr. Marc Burgelman, University of Ghent, for providing SCAPS-1D simulator software. The authors extend their thanks to Researchers supporting project number (RSP2024R348), King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department Technology, Research Group in Materials Sciences, Microelectronics and Nanotechnologies, Higher Institute of Computer Sciences and Mathematics of Monastir, University of Monastir, Monastir, 5000, Tunisia

    Rihab Chouk & Mohamed Khalfaoui

  2. Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Materials, Department of Physics, Faculty of Sciences of Monastir, University of Monastir, 5000, Monastir, Tunisia

    Rihab Chouk, Chadlia Aguir & Mohamed Khalfaoui

  3. High School of Health Sciences and Techniques of Monastir, University of Monastir, Monastir, 5000, Tunisia

    Chadlia Aguir

  4. Research Unit on Materials Processes and Environment (URMPE), Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, M’hammed Bougara University, Boumerdes, Algeria

    Razika Tala-Ighil

  5. Shandong Key Laboratory of Biophysics, Institute of Biophysics, Dezhou University, Dezhou, 253023, China

    Naif Mohammed Al-Hada

  6. Department of Physics and Astronomy, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2455, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia

    Bandar Ali Al-Asbahi

Authors
  1. Rihab Chouk
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  2. Chadlia Aguir
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  3. Razika Tala-Ighil
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  4. Naif Mohammed Al-Hada
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  5. Bandar Ali Al-Asbahi
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  6. Mohamed Khalfaoui
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Contributions

RC: Conceptualization, methodology, investigation, writing—original draft; CA: methodology, data acquisition, writing—original draft; RTI: methodology, formal analysis, writing—review and editing, supervision; NMA: Validation, investigation; BAA: writing—review and editing, Validation; MK: writing—review and editing, supervision. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Bandar Ali Al-Asbahi or Mohamed Khalfaoui.

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Chouk, R., Aguir, C., Tala-Ighil, R. et al. Numerical simulation and optimal design of perovskite solar cell based on sensitized zinc oxide electron-transport layer. Multiscale and Multidiscip. Model. Exp. and Des. (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41939-024-00376-9

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