Modelling and simulation single layer Anti-Reflective Coating of ZnO and ZnS for silicon solar cells using silvaco software

Abstract

In this study, simulated single layer Anti-Reflective Coating (ARC) on silicon solar cell that based on the refractive index limit of silicon dioxide (SiO2), zinc oxide (ZnO) and zinc sulphide (ZnS) are presented. Two simulations of ZnO and ZnS coating were simulated to compare with SiO2 ARC on silicon solar cell surface. These simulations carried out with variable coating thickness that is 50, 60, 70 and 80 nm by using ATLAS simulator. From the simulation obtained, it was found that the value of Voc and Jsc are 397.69 mV and 15.646 mA cm-2 respectively, from silicon solar cell with 0.05 μm SiO2 coating. For the Fill Factor (FF) and power conversion efficiency (η) of this solar cell is 0.758 and 4.72% were computed. As for the ARC simulation, the spectral response of ZnO and ZnS coating was increased around 600 and 700 nm, respectively, which are capable of reducing the refractivity over a wide range of wavelengths compared to SiO2. increased around 400 nm wavelength. This can be concluded that when the refractive index value is high, the available photocurrent also can be high in wide range wavelength and more reducing the refractivity. In ARC analysis, the ZnS coating could perform more efficiency on wide range of wavelength compared to SiO2 and ZnO ARC. © 2009 Asian Network for Scientific Information.