Designing few-layer graphene Schottky contact solar cells: Theoretical efficiency limits and parametric optimization

Abstract

We theoretically study the efficiency limits and performance characteristics of few-layer graphene-semiconductor solar cells (FGSCs) based on a Schottky contact device structure. We model and compare the energy conversion efficiency of various configurations by explicitly considering the non-Richardson thermionic emission across few-layer graphene/semiconductor Schottky heterostructures. The calculations reveal that ABA-stacked trilayer graphene-silicon solar cell exhibits a maximal conversion efficiency exceeding 28\% due to a lower reversed saturation current when compared to that of the ABC-stacking configuration. The thermal coefficients of PCE for ABA and ABC stacking FGSCs are -0.064\%/K and -0.049\%/K, respectively. Our work offers insights for optimal designs of graphene-based solar cells, thus paving a route towards the design of high-performance FGSC for future nanoscale energy converters.