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Numerical investigation of a double-junction a:SiGe thin-film solar cell including the multi-trench region

K. Kacha1, F. Djeffal1, 2, H. Ferhati1, D. Arar1 and M. Meguellati1

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 Corresponding author: F. Djeffal, Email: djeffal@univ-batna.dz;faycaldzdz@hotmail.com

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Abstract: We present a new approach based on the multi-trench technique to improve the electrical performances, which are the fill factor and the electrical efficiency. The key idea behind this approach is to introduce a new multi-trench region in the intrinsic layer, in order to modulate the total resistance of the solar cell. Based on 2-D numerical investigation and optimization of amorphous SiGe double-junction (a-Si:H/a-SiGe:H) thin film solar cells, in the present paper numerical models of electrical and optical parameters are developed to explain the impact of the multi-trench technique on the improvement of the double-junction solar cell electrical behavior for high performance photovoltaic applications. In this context, electrical characteristics of the proposed design are analyzed and compared with conventional amorphous silicon double-junction thin-film solar cells.

Key words: amorphousefficiencySiGethin-filmsolar cellmulti-trench



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Fig. 1.  Cross sectional view of the investigated amorphous double-junction SiGe thin-film solar cell.

Fig. 2.  Equivalent electrical circuit of the investigated solar cell.

Fig. 3.  Variation of solar cell efficiency as function of (a) trench doping concentration,(b) trench width and (c) trench thickness.

Fig. 4.  Efficiency of the investigated solar cell as a function of the number of trenches in the frontal intrinsic layer.

Fig. 5.  Efficiency of the investigated solar cell as a function of Ge content in the back amorphous SiGe intrinsic layer ($N=$ 3).

Fig. 6.  Solar cell performance with different back intrinsic region thickness values,Ge mole fraction $=$ 0.5 and $N=$ 3.

Fig. 7.  $I$-$V$ curves of the optimized multi-trench and conventional solar cells ($N=3)$.

Table 1.   Optimized design parameters used in our investigation.

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Table 2.   Optimized solar cell performances.

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    Received: 15 November 2014 Revised: Online: Published: 01 June 2015

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      K. Kacha, F. Djeffal, H. Ferhati, D. Arar, M. Meguellati. Numerical investigation of a double-junction a:SiGe thin-film solar cell including the multi-trench region[J]. Journal of Semiconductors, 2015, 36(6): 064004. doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/36/6/064004 K. Kacha, F. Djeffal, H. Ferhati, D. Arar, M. Meguellati. Numerical investigation of a double-junction a:SiGe thin-film solar cell including the multi-trench region[J]. J. Semicond., 2015, 36(6): 064004. doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/36/6/064004.Export: BibTex EndNote
      Citation:
      K. Kacha, F. Djeffal, H. Ferhati, D. Arar, M. Meguellati. Numerical investigation of a double-junction a:SiGe thin-film solar cell including the multi-trench region[J]. Journal of Semiconductors, 2015, 36(6): 064004. doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/36/6/064004

      K. Kacha, F. Djeffal, H. Ferhati, D. Arar, M. Meguellati. Numerical investigation of a double-junction a:SiGe thin-film solar cell including the multi-trench region[J]. J. Semicond., 2015, 36(6): 064004. doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/36/6/064004.
      Export: BibTex EndNote

      Numerical investigation of a double-junction a:SiGe thin-film solar cell including the multi-trench region

      doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/36/6/064004
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      • Corresponding author: Email: djeffal@univ-batna.dz;faycaldzdz@hotmail.com
      • Received Date: 2014-11-15
      • Accepted Date: 2015-01-18
      • Published Date: 2015-01-25

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