SCAPS simulation and design of highly efficient CuBi2O4-based thin-film solar cells (TFSCs) with hole and electron transport layers
Abstract The continued rise in global temperatures and climate change has increased the demand for renewable energy sources. Recent developments in thin-layer photovoltaic cells have improved power output, affordability, and overall efficiency, spurred by the growing demand for renewable energy sour...
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Nature Portfolio
2025-08-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-12091-7 |
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| author | Ahmed A. El-Naggar Ahmed M. Eid Yasmeen Rafat Mohamed A. Khamis Mabrouk Bakry Salah Elkun Walid Ismail Swellam W. Sharshir Abdelhamid El-Shaer Mahmoud Abdelfatah |
| author_facet | Ahmed A. El-Naggar Ahmed M. Eid Yasmeen Rafat Mohamed A. Khamis Mabrouk Bakry Salah Elkun Walid Ismail Swellam W. Sharshir Abdelhamid El-Shaer Mahmoud Abdelfatah |
| author_sort | Ahmed A. El-Naggar |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The continued rise in global temperatures and climate change has increased the demand for renewable energy sources. Recent developments in thin-layer photovoltaic cells have improved power output, affordability, and overall efficiency, spurred by the growing demand for renewable energy sources. In this study, numerical simulations of solar cells utilizing (SCAPS-1D) were employed to examine the efficiency of a CuBi2O4-based thin-film solar cell (TFSC). The CuBi2O4 absorber layer, known for its stability and optimal bandgap, was integrated with a Cu2O hole transport layer (HTL), CdS buffer layer, and TiO2 electron transference layer (ETL). Numerous constraints, including layer thickness, bandgap, and carrier concentration, were augmented to enhance the photovoltaic characteristics, such as fill factor (FF), open-circuit voltage (Voc), efficiency (η) and short-circuit current density (Jsc). The study differentiates itself with a device structure constructed from Au/Cu2O/CuBi2O4/CdS/TiO2/FTO, which has impressive characteristics such as an open-circuit voltage of 1.2 V, a short-circuit current density of 32.85 mA/cm2, a fill factor of 88.42%, and an efficiency of 34.98% at lower defect density, although this efficiency exceeds the theoretical limit established by Shockley-Queisser limit for single-junction solar cells, it is essential to recognize that limit does not consider real-world constraints such as nonradiative recombination. The reported power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 32.56% was obtained under idealized simulation conditions, characterized by minimal bulk and interfacial defect densities. These findings not only affirm the promise of CuBi2O4 as an eco-friendly, low-cost absorber material but also underscore the importance of accounting for both intrinsic and extrinsic defect mechanisms in simulation-driven photovoltaic design. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-0a76e9674bb14c858cbf33cf4e46f24b |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
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| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-0a76e9674bb14c858cbf33cf4e46f24b2025-08-20T03:43:02ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-08-0115112510.1038/s41598-025-12091-7SCAPS simulation and design of highly efficient CuBi2O4-based thin-film solar cells (TFSCs) with hole and electron transport layersAhmed A. El-Naggar0Ahmed M. Eid1Yasmeen Rafat2Mohamed A. Khamis3Mabrouk Bakry4Salah Elkun5Walid Ismail6Swellam W. Sharshir7Abdelhamid El-Shaer8Mahmoud Abdelfatah9Physics Department, Faculty of Science, Kafrelsheikh UniversityPhysics Department, Faculty of Science, Kafrelsheikh UniversityPhysics Department, Faculty of Science, Kafrelsheikh UniversityPhysics Department, Faculty of Science, Kafrelsheikh UniversityPhysics Department, Faculty of Science, Kafrelsheikh UniversityPhysics Department, Faculty of Science, Kafrelsheikh UniversityPhysics Department, Faculty of Science, Kafrelsheikh UniversityMechanical Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Kafrelsheikh UniversityPhysics Department, Faculty of Science, Kafrelsheikh UniversityPhysics Department, Faculty of Science, Kafrelsheikh UniversityAbstract The continued rise in global temperatures and climate change has increased the demand for renewable energy sources. Recent developments in thin-layer photovoltaic cells have improved power output, affordability, and overall efficiency, spurred by the growing demand for renewable energy sources. In this study, numerical simulations of solar cells utilizing (SCAPS-1D) were employed to examine the efficiency of a CuBi2O4-based thin-film solar cell (TFSC). The CuBi2O4 absorber layer, known for its stability and optimal bandgap, was integrated with a Cu2O hole transport layer (HTL), CdS buffer layer, and TiO2 electron transference layer (ETL). Numerous constraints, including layer thickness, bandgap, and carrier concentration, were augmented to enhance the photovoltaic characteristics, such as fill factor (FF), open-circuit voltage (Voc), efficiency (η) and short-circuit current density (Jsc). The study differentiates itself with a device structure constructed from Au/Cu2O/CuBi2O4/CdS/TiO2/FTO, which has impressive characteristics such as an open-circuit voltage of 1.2 V, a short-circuit current density of 32.85 mA/cm2, a fill factor of 88.42%, and an efficiency of 34.98% at lower defect density, although this efficiency exceeds the theoretical limit established by Shockley-Queisser limit for single-junction solar cells, it is essential to recognize that limit does not consider real-world constraints such as nonradiative recombination. The reported power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 32.56% was obtained under idealized simulation conditions, characterized by minimal bulk and interfacial defect densities. These findings not only affirm the promise of CuBi2O4 as an eco-friendly, low-cost absorber material but also underscore the importance of accounting for both intrinsic and extrinsic defect mechanisms in simulation-driven photovoltaic design.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-12091-7SimulationThin-film solar cellCu2O/CuBi2O4/TiO2SCAPS-1DEfficiency |
| spellingShingle | Ahmed A. El-Naggar Ahmed M. Eid Yasmeen Rafat Mohamed A. Khamis Mabrouk Bakry Salah Elkun Walid Ismail Swellam W. Sharshir Abdelhamid El-Shaer Mahmoud Abdelfatah SCAPS simulation and design of highly efficient CuBi2O4-based thin-film solar cells (TFSCs) with hole and electron transport layers Scientific Reports Simulation Thin-film solar cell Cu2O/CuBi2O4/TiO2 SCAPS-1D Efficiency |
| title | SCAPS simulation and design of highly efficient CuBi2O4-based thin-film solar cells (TFSCs) with hole and electron transport layers |
| title_full | SCAPS simulation and design of highly efficient CuBi2O4-based thin-film solar cells (TFSCs) with hole and electron transport layers |
| title_fullStr | SCAPS simulation and design of highly efficient CuBi2O4-based thin-film solar cells (TFSCs) with hole and electron transport layers |
| title_full_unstemmed | SCAPS simulation and design of highly efficient CuBi2O4-based thin-film solar cells (TFSCs) with hole and electron transport layers |
| title_short | SCAPS simulation and design of highly efficient CuBi2O4-based thin-film solar cells (TFSCs) with hole and electron transport layers |
| title_sort | scaps simulation and design of highly efficient cubi2o4 based thin film solar cells tfscs with hole and electron transport layers |
| topic | Simulation Thin-film solar cell Cu2O/CuBi2O4/TiO2 SCAPS-1D Efficiency |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-12091-7 |
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