Optimization of the Electrical Characteristics of Cadmium Telluride Based Thin Layer Solar Cell According to Thickness and Gap Energy

In the quest for better photovoltaic performance, we simulated the CdTe-based thin film solar cell in ITO/CdS/CdTe/Mo structure with SCAPS (Solar Cell Capacitance Simulator). SCAPS model makes possible to study the effect of the thickness of layers and the gap energy (Eg) of each layer (CdTe, CdS and ITO) on the electrical characteristics of outputs such as open-circuit voltage (Voc), short-circuit current density (Jsc), Form Factor (FF) and efficiency (&eta) of the cell. The results of the simulations were in good agreement with those of the literature and revealed that increasing the thickness of the ITO window layer and of the CdS buffer cell layer reduces the photovoltaic efficiency. Conversely, the conversion rate increases with the thickness of the CdTe absorbent layer. The optimized values of layer thicknesses and energy gap of the absorber layer of the CdTe solar cell provide good photovoltaic performance with an optimal efficiency of 22%.