Simulation Analysis of Cu 2 O Solar Cells

Sinuo Chen, Lichun Wang, Chunlan Zhou (), Jinli Yang and Xiaojie Jia
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Sinuo Chen: The Key Laboratory of Solar Thermal Energy and Photovoltaic System, Institute of Electrical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
Lichun Wang: The Key Laboratory of Solar Thermal Energy and Photovoltaic System, Institute of Electrical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
Chunlan Zhou: The Key Laboratory of Solar Thermal Energy and Photovoltaic System, Institute of Electrical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
Jinli Yang: The Key Laboratory of Solar Thermal Energy and Photovoltaic System, Institute of Electrical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
Xiaojie Jia: The Key Laboratory of Solar Thermal Energy and Photovoltaic System, Institute of Electrical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China

Energies, 2025, vol. 18, issue 21, 1-17

Abstract: Cu 2 O solar cells are regarded as a promising emerging inorganic photovoltaic technology due to their power conversion efficiency (PCE) potential and material sustainability. While previous studies primarily focused on the band offset between n-type buffer layers and Cu 2 O optical absorption, this work systematically investigated an ETL/buffer/p-Cu 2 O/HTL heterojunction structure using SCAPS-1D simulations. Key design parameters, including bandgap (Eg) and electron affinity (χ) matching across layers, were optimized to minimize carrier transport barriers. Furthermore, the doping concentration and thickness of each functional layer (ETL: transparent conductive oxide; HTL: hole transport layer) were tailored to balance electron conductivity, parasitic absorption, and Auger recombination. Through this approach, a maximum PCE of 14.12% was achieved ( V oc = 1.51V, J sc = 10.52 mA/cm 2 , FF = 88.9%). The study also identified candidate materials for ETL (e.g., GaN, ZnO:Mg) and HTL (e.g., ZnTe, NiO x ), along with optimal thicknesses and doping ranges for the Cu 2 O absorber. These findings provide critical guidance for advancing high-performance Cu 2 O solar cells.

Keywords: Cu 2 O solar cells; simulation; bandgap; electron affinity; thickness; doping (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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