Strategy trends of core/multiple shell for quantum dot-based heterojunction thin film solar cells

ABSTRACT

Design structure of semiconductor window and absorber layers’ materials in thin film solar cells is an essential trend for specifying optical and electrical characteristics of thin film solar cells. This paper has been improved the optical and electrical characteristics and efficiency of traditional HJ-QDSc (ITO/CdS/QDPbS/Au) model by using the quantum dot window layer instead of bulk structure layers’ cell. Moreover, this paper represents new design for absorber layer using QD aluminium core/PbS shell absorber layer structure instead of QD PbS absorber layer to use the merits of QD metallic-semiconductor core/multiple shell structure to enhance the performance of previous CdS/QDPbS HJ-QDSc model. The proposal design structure is carried out by replacing the bulk CdTe, CIGS absorber layers and CdS window layer with quantum dot size window layer material and QD core/multiple shell absorber layer based on traditional (SnO₂/CdS/CdTe/Cu) and (ZnO/CdS/CIGS/Mo). The proposal design structure on three-types of core/multiple shell for quantum dot based on heterojunction thin film solar cells has been applied. A comparison study has been established between the proposal design and traditional thin film solar cells based on sub-micro absorber layer thickness models.

KEYWORDS:

• Solar cell
• energy conversion
• core/shell
• quantum dot
• heterojunction
• quantum efficiency

Highlights

1. Advanced strategy for quantum dot-based heterojunction thin film solar cells using core/multiple shell.

2. New effective design for absorber layer by using QD aluminum core/PbS shell absorber layer structure instead of QD PbS absorber layer.

3. High performance of CdS/QDPbS HJ-QDSc model by using the merits of QD metallic-semiconductor core/multiple shell structure.

4. Advanced thermal efficiency for new HJ-QD solar cells based on QD window layer and core/shell absorber layer.

Acknowledgments

The present work was supported by Nanotechnology Research Center at Aswan University that is established by aiding the Science and Technology Development Fund (STDF), Egypt (Grant no.: Project ID 505, 2009-2011).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Ahmed Thabet Mohamed

Ahmed Thabet, Professor, was born in Aswan, Egypt in 1974. He received the BSc from Faculty of Energy Engineering (FEE) Electrical Engineering degree in 1997, and MSc (FEE) Electrical Engineering degree in 2002 both from Faculty of Energy Engineering, Aswan, Egypt. PhD degree had been received in Electrical Engineering in 2006 from El-Minia University, Minia, Egypt. He joined with Electrical Power Engineering Group of Faculty of Energy Engineering in South Valley University as a Demonstrator at July 1999, until; he held Professor position at October 2017 up to date. His research interests focus in the areas of analysis and developing electrical engineering models and applications, investigating novel nanotechnology materials via addition nano-scale particles and additives for usage in industrial branch, electromagnetic materials, electroluminescence and the relationship with electrical and thermal ageing of industrial polymers. A lot of mobility’s has investigated for supporting his research experience in UK, Finland, Italy, USA, etc. On 2009, he had been a Principal Investigator of a funded project from Science and Technology Development Fund ‘STDF’ for developing industrial materials of ac and dc applications by nano-technology techniques through it was published many scientific researches interested in developing industrial applications using the latest technologies in nanotechnology. He established 1^stNano-Technology Research Centre in the Upper Egypt; hence, he filed several patents in the field of various engineering applications. He has high quality publications which have been published and under published in cited international journals and conferences. He has many electronic and printed books in grounding systems, designing composite materials and nanodielectrics for industrial applications and investment the emerging nanotechnology applications in electrical engineering. From 2018 up to Date, he has been held a full professor position in Colleges of Engineering at Saudi Arabia Universities (Qassim University, Buraydah Colleges, etc.).

S. Abdelhady

S. Abdelhady is a postgraduate in Electrical Engineering. An experienced professional in photovoltaics and electrical engineering domains with more than 5+years of exposure. At present, he is a research scholar and working towards his PhD at Aswan University, Aswan. His areas of interest are solar cells, computational electromagnetics, electric engineering and photonics.