• Dipal B. Patel

CIGS is one of the leading candidates for solar energy conversion and this technology alone can meet up huge energy requirements. However, CdS is being used as a buffer layer in the mature CIGS technology which is hazardous material for the humans and environment. Hence there is a need to explore CIGS solar cell without any Cd-buffer layer which can offer excellent junction properties with CIGS absorber layer. In this paper, the possibility of very well-known and easy to fabricate buffer layer of ZnO to be used as a buffer layer in CIGS solar cell has been explored by a gpvdm simulation. The proposed solar cell utilizes a buffer layer free configuration of CIGS and n:ZnO. The solar cell structure with ZnO/CIGS/Mo/Glass with an active layer (CIGS) thickness of about 1m is proposed to achieve a competitive efficiency of 17.42% with an excellent fill factor of 88.8%. This study shows that ZnO can be a potential candidate to make an interface directly with CIGS by removing CdS in the present commercially adopted CIGS technology and to develop high-efficiency solar cells.

ZnO, CIGS, efficiency, buffer layer, IV curves, transmittance

"Influence of CdS Buffer Layer in CIGS Solar Cell: A Gpvdm Device Simulation", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.6, Issue 1, page no.752-757, January 2019, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIRDY06120.pdf

"Influence of CdS Buffer Layer in CIGS Solar Cell: A Gpvdm Device Simulation", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.6, Issue 1, page no. pp752-757, January 2019, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIRDY06120.pdf