A numerical study on delafossite CuFeO2 as an absorber for efficient and sustainable oxide solar cells

• Main Authors: Sarkar D.K., Mottakin M., Hasan A.K.M., Selvanathan V., Ariful Islam M., Shahiduzzaman M., Alharbi H.F., Akhtaruzzaman M.
• Other Authors: 57220704093
• Format: Article
• Published: Institute of Physics 2024
• Subjects: CuFeO₂; delafossite oxide; oxide solar cell; SCAPS-1D; Conversion efficiency; Defects; II-VI semiconductors; Iron compounds; Nickel oxide; Solar cells; Zinc oxide; Absorber layers; Defect tolerance; Delafossite oxides; Delafossites; Design use; Oxide solar cell; P-structures; P-type; Tolerance limits; Copper compounds

This study proposes an oxide solar cell in an n-p-p structure. This design uses a p-type delafossite CuFeO2 layer to absorb Sunlight, along with n-ZnO to transport electrons and p-NiO to transport holes. The SCAPS-1D modeling software was employed to conduct the relative study on the p-CuFeO2 absorber layer. The optimized thickness, bandgap, and bulk defects tolerance limit of the absorber layer are 700 nm, 1.3 eV, and 1014 cm?3, respectively. The charge carrier�s density in the absorber layer at 1018 cm?3 showed the highest performance. The defects tolerance limit of the interface n-ZnO/CuFeO2 is 1017 cm?3. After optimizing the device FTO/n-ZnO/CuFeO2/p-NiO/Au exhibited a maximum power conversion efficiency of 19.93%, corresponding V oc of 1.10 V, J sc of 24.95 mA cm?2, and FF of 85.5%. Additionally, this study demonstrates the prospect of CuFeO2 as the active layer in oxide-based solar cell technology. � 2023 The Japan Society of Applied Physics.