Vertically Arranged Zinc Oxide Nanorods as Antireflection Layer for Crystalline Silicon Solar Cell: A Simulation Study of Photovoltaic Properties

Vertically Arranged Zinc Oxide Nanorods as Antireflection Layer for Crystalline Silicon Solar Cell: A Simulation Study of Photovoltaic Properties

Authors: Deb Kumar Shah, Devendra KC, M. Shaheer Akhtar, Chong Yeal Kim and O-Bong Yang
School of Semiconductor and Chemical Engineering, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju 54896,  Korea; dkshah149@gmail.com
Received: 31 July 2020; Accepted: 27 August 2020; Published: 1 September 2020

Appl. Sci. 2020, 10(17), 6062; https://doi.org/10.3390/app10176062

Abstract: 

This paper describes the unique antireflection (AR) layer of vertically arranged ZnO
nanorods (NRs) on crystalline silicon (c-Si) solar cells and studies the charge transport and photovoltaic
properties by simulation. The vertically arranged ZnO NRs were deposited on ZnO-seeded c-Si
wafers by a simple low-temperature solution process. The lengths of the ZnO NRs were optimized
by changing the reaction times. Highly dense and vertically arranged ZnO NRs were obtained
over the c-Si wafer when the reaction time was 5 h. The deposited ZnO NRs on the c-Si wafers
exhibited the lowest reflectance of ~7.5% at 838 nm, having a reasonable average reflectance of ~9.5%
in the whole wavelength range (400–1000 nm). Using PC1D software, the charge transport and
photovoltaic properties of c-Si solar cells were explored by considering the lengths of the ZnO NRs
and the reflectance values. The 1.1 m length of the ZnO NRs and a minimum average reflectance of
9.5% appeared to be the optimum values for achieving the highest power conversion eciency of
14.88%. The simulation study for the vertically arranged ZnO NRs AR layers clearly reflects that
the low-temperature deposited ZnO NRs on c-Si solar cells could pose a greater prospect in the
manufacturing of low-cost c-Si solar cells.

Keywords: 

zinc oxide; thin film; silicon solar cells; antireflection layer; power conversion eciency;
PC1D simulation

https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/10/17/6062