Eur. Phys. J. Appl. Phys. 40, 253-256 (2007)
https://doi.org/10.1051/epjap:2007158

Numerical simulation of silicon based solar cells with a degenerated SnO₂:F window layer

Laboratoire des Cellules Photovoltaïques, Unité de Développement de la Technologie du Silicium – UDTS, 2 Bd F. Fanon, BP 140, Alger-7 merveilles, 16200 Alger, Algeria

Corresponding author: t_razika@hotmail.com

Received: 4 August 2007
Revised: 26 August 2007
Accepted: 30 August 2007
Published online: 13 December 2007

Abstract

The paper presents a numerical simulation of the behaviour of SnO₂:F/Si(N⁺)/Si(P) solar cells. The simulation addresses in particular the question of the role of the window layer SnO₂:F for the device performance. As beginning step, the transparent conductive oxide of SnO₂:F must be modelled in order to introduce its parameters in simulation codes. Two approaches were employed: one empirical by collecting the experimental data of spray deposited SnO₂:F while the second one is theoretical by using models of highly degenerate wide band gap semiconductors. The second step consists in injecting the deduced parameters of fluorine doped tin oxide in simulation codes. We use two well-known photovoltaic simulation codes as PC1D and SCAPS 2.5. A comparative study of the results of structures SnO₂:F/Si(N⁺)/Si(P) and Si(N⁺)/Si(P) have been done with a confirmation in enhancing the conversion efficiency by SnO₂:F window layer addition.