Numerical simulation of InGaN Schottky solar cell

TL;DR

This paper presents a numerical simulation of an InGaN Schottky solar cell, optimizing its parameters to achieve a predicted efficiency of 18.2%, offering a promising alternative to p-type doping challenges.

Contribution

It introduces a rigorous numerical optimization approach to design InGaN Schottky solar cells with high efficiency, addressing doping difficulties.

Findings

Predicted efficiency of 18.2% for the optimized InGaN Schottky solar cell.

Optimization of geometrical and physical parameters within fabrication constraints.

Demonstrates the potential of InGaN for high-efficiency solar energy conversion.

Abstract

The Indium Gallium Nitride (InGaN) III-Nitride ternary alloy has the potentiality to allow achieving high efficiency solar cells through the tuning of its band gap by changing the Indium composition. It also counts among its advantages a relatively low effective mass, high carriers\^a mobility, a high absorption coefficient along with good radiation tolerance.However, the main drawback of InGaN is linked to its p-type doping, which is difficult to grow in good quality and on which ohmic contacts are difficult to realize. The Schottky solar cell is a good alternative to avoid the p-type doping of InGaN. In this report, a comprehensive numerical simulation, using mathematically rigorous optimization approach based on state-of-the-art optimization algorithms, is used to find the optimum geometrical and physical parameters that yield the best efficiency of a Schottky solar cell within the achievable device fabrication range. A 18.2% efficiency is predicted for this new InGaN solar cell design.