Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research
Echahid Hamma Lakhdar University of El-Oued Faculty of Technology
Electrical engineering department
Doctorate Thesis
Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of
Doctor of Science in Electronics
Entitled :
Study and optimization of perovskite-based solar
cells
by
Abdelkader HIMA
Examination committee:
Pr. BOUBAKER BENHOUA Professor Chairman University of El oued Dr. NACEREDDINELAKHDAR M.C.A Supervisor University of El oued
Dr. BRAHIMLAKEHAL M.C.A Examiner University of Batna2
Dr. SOUHILKOUDA M.C.A Examiner University of Batna2
Dr. ABDELKADERMEDJOURI M.C.A Examiner University of El oued
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction 1
Layout of the thesis 3
1 Solar cell fundamentals 4
1.1 Introduction . . . 4
1.2 Principal properties of semiconductors . . . 5
1.2.1 Energy bands and carriers concentration . . . 5
1.2.2 Transport properties . . . 9
1.3 Basic semiconductor equations . . . 11
1.4 Optical Absorption and Recombination . . . 12
1.5 PN junction . . . 14
1.6 Equivalent circuit . . . 17
1.7 Electrical parameters of a solar cell . . . 18
1.7.1 Short circuit current . . . 19
1.7.2 Open circuit voltage . . . 19
1.7.3 Fill Factor . . . 19
1.7.4 Power Conversion Efficiency . . . 19
1.8 Conclusion . . . 20
2 Perovskite materials and their implementation in solar cells 21 2.1 Introduction . . . 21
2.2 History . . . 22
2.3 Perovskite crystalline structure . . . 24
2.4 Types of perovskite . . . 24
2.5 Characteristics of Perovskites . . . 25 vi
TABLE OF CONTENTS
2.6 Overview on some Perovskites . . . 26
2.7 perovskite based solar cells operation . . . 28
2.7.1 n-i-p planar heterojunction-based PSC . . . 29
2.7.2 p-i-n planar heterojunction-based PSC . . . 30
2.7.3 ETL materials used in PSC . . . 31
2.7.4 HTL materials used in PSC . . . 34
2.8 Conclusion . . . 35
3 Overview on numerical simulators 37 3.1 Introduction . . . 37
3.2 Silvaco Atlas description . . . 38
3.2.1 Structure specification . . . 40
3.2.2 Material and model specifications . . . 44
3.2.3 Numerical method selection . . . 46
3.2.4 Solution specification. . . 46
3.2.5 Result analysis . . . 47
3.3 SCAPS description . . . 48
3.4 Solar radiation spectra . . . 53
3.5 Conclusion . . . 54
4 Optimization of different Perovskite solar cells 55 4.1 Introduction . . . 55
4.2 Device structure and simulation methodology . . . 56
4.3 Results and discussions . . . 58
4.4 Conclusion . . . 64
5 Efficiency enhancement ofMAGeI3-based solar cells 65 5.1 Introduction . . . 65
5.2 Part 1 : ETM effect on performance of MAGeI3-based solar cell . . 66
5.2.1 Device structure and methodology . . . 66
5.2.2 Results and discussions . . . 68
5.3 Part 2 : Efficiency optimization of MAGeI3-based solar cell using CuSbS2material . . . 72
5.3.1 Device configuration . . . 72
5.3.2 Results and discussions . . . 75
5.4 Conclusion . . . 78
Conclusions and future works 80
