Exploring the NiPcTs-Si nanoheterojunction as a bilayer solar cell: theoretical and experimental analysis

• Published in: Optical and quantum electronics 2024-10, Vol.56 (11), Article 1781
• Main Authors: Hasan, Ali S., Kadhim, Mohammed Jawad H., Layla, Ali Y., Al-Khafaji, Zainab
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aluminum; Annealing; Bilayers; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Computer Communication Networks; Electrical Engineering; Electrical properties; Energy gap; Evaporation rate; Heterojunctions; Lasers; Open circuit voltage; Optical Devices; Optical properties; Optics; Photonics; Photovoltaic cells; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Short circuit currents; Silicon substrates; Solar cells; Temperature; Thin films; Vacuum thermal evaporation
• ISSN: 1572-817X; 0306-8919; 1572-817X
• DOI: 10.1007/s11082-024-07621-y

Hybrid bilayer nano-heterojunction (NiPcTs) thin films, with a p-type active donor layer and n-type silicon (Si) acceptor, were manufactured at substrate temperatures of 300 K and 400 K. Using a thermal evaporation technique under vacuum conditions of 10 −5 mbar and a deposition rate of 12 nm/min, these films were deposited onto two aluminum (Al) electrodes to construct the hydride bilayer photovoltaic solar cell (PVSC). The electrical characteristics of the Al/NiPcTs/Si/Al hybrid nano-heterojunction thin layer were investigated. The findings demonstrated an open-circuit voltage (V m ) of 0.25 V, a short-circuit current density (I m ) of 2.77 mA/cm 2 and a fill factor (FF) of 0.391. Under illumination with a halogen lamp at an intensity of 55 mW/cm 2 , the conversion efficiency (η) was 5.03% at a substrate temperature of 400 K. Theoretical calculations indicated that the optical energy gap of the NiPcTs thin layers depends on the annealing temperature. The optical band gap narrows as the annealing temperature rises but then widens as the temperature increases to 400 K. Comparing theoretical and experimental calculations of the electronic and electrical properties showed that the best model for solar cell applications was achieved.