A Numerical Study on Enhancing Silicon Solar Cell Efficiency via the Integration of AgInSe2

Abstract

The material AgInSe₂ (AIS) has garnered much attention for the improvement of the power conversion efficiency in solar cells in recent years. To understand how AIS affects the structure of silicon (Si) solar cells, this study numerically compared Si solar cells to Si/AIS solar cell structures using COMSOL Multiphysics. It was discovered that adding AIS to Si improved the shunt resistance, which increased the open-circuit voltage (V_OC) and marginally increased the short-circuit current density (J_SC). The entire effect caused the efficiency to rise from 10.12% to 11.04% with the final structure having a J_SC, V_OC and fill factor of 18.78 mA/cm², 0.694 V and 0.846 respectively. The results indicate that the AIS layer might be crucial to producing extremely efficient solar cells, by improving its shunt resistance. It was also investigated how heating effects occur within the solar cells. Joule heating was discovered to occur at the locations of the p-n junctions, whereas non-radiative recombination heating was found to happen within the first 5 μm of the solar cell. Studying the heating effects inside the cell is crucial to limiting them and enhancing the cell's operational performance. Based on the results gained from this study, AIS can be suggested as an influential material for achieving higher efficiencies within Si solar cells and may therefore provide an effective strategy and source for the manufacture of high-performance solar cells.