Numerical Simulations for the Performance Optimization of SnO2/Cs2AgInBr6/CuO Lead-Free Perovskite Solar Cells
Received: 11 May 2025 | Revised: 4 July 2025, 20 July 2025, and 1 September 2025 | Accepted: 6 September 2025 | Online: 4 October 2025
Corresponding author: Leila Bechane
Abstract
This study presents a numerical investigation of the photovoltaic performance of a lead-free double Perovskite Solar Cell (PSC) based on Cs2AgInBr6 as the absorber layer. Using the one-dimensional solar cell simulation tool AMPS-1D, critical device parameters, including active layer thickness and acceptor doping density, were evaluated. The impact of these parameters was tested on performance indicators, such as current density-voltage (J-V) characteristics, Open-Circuit Voltage (OVC), short-circuit current density (JSC), fill factor (FF), and Power Conversion Efficiency (PCE). The results revealed that an optimal active layer thickness of 500 nm, combined with an acceptor density in the range of 1013-1015 cm-3, maximized the device performance. Under these conditions, the solar cell achieved a PCE of 24.96%, with JSC = 29.40 mA/cm2, VOC = 0.969 V, and FF = 87.6%. These values underscored the promising potential of Cs2AgInBr6 as a non-toxic, eco-friendly alternative to lead-based perovskites in photovoltaic applications.
Keywords:
AMPS-1D, Cs2AgInBr6 solar cells, heterojunction, SnO2, CuO, efficiencyDownloads
References
Y. Liang, "Exploring inorganic and nontoxic double perovskites Cs2AgInBr6(1−x)Cl6x from material selection to device design in material genome approach," Journal of Alloys and Compounds, vol. 862, May 2021, Art. no. 158575. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jallcom.2020.158575
Z. Zhang et al., "Potential Applications of Halide Double Perovskite Cs2AgInX6 (X = Cl, Br) in Flexible Optoelectronics: Unusual Effects of Uniaxial Strains," The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters, vol. 10, no. 5, pp. 1120–1125, Feb. 2019.
A. Menedjhi, N. Bouarissa, S. Saib, and K. Bouamama, "Halide double perovskite Cs2AgInBr6 for photovoltaic’s applications: Optical properties and stability," Optik, vol. 243, Oct. 2021, Art. no. 167198. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijleo.2021.167198
V. Deswal, S. Kaushik, R. Kundara, and S. Baghel, "Numerical simulation of highly efficient Cs2AgInBr6-based double perovskite solar cell using SCAPS 1-D," Materials Science and Engineering: B, vol. 299, Jan. 2024, Art. no. 117041. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mseb.2023.117041
A. Kojima, K. Teshima, Y. Shirai, and T. Miyasaka, "Organometal Halide Perovskites as Visible-Light Sensitizers for Photovoltaic Cells," Journal of the American Chemical Society, vol. 131, no. 17, pp. 6050–6051, May 2009. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/ja809598r
R. F. Service, "Perovskite Solar Cells Keep On Surging," Science, vol. 344, no. 6183, pp. 458–458, May 2014. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1126/science.344.6183.458
K. T. Butler, J. M. Frost, and A. Walsh, "Band alignment of the hybrid halide perovskites CH 3 NH 3 PbCl 3 , CH 3 NH 3 PbBr 3 and CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3," Materials Horizons, vol. 2, no. 2, pp. 228–231, 2015. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/C4MH00174E
A. Walsh, "Principles of Chemical Bonding and Band Gap Engineering in Hybrid Organic–Inorganic Halide Perovskites," The Journal of Physical Chemistry C, vol. 119, no. 11, pp. 5755–5760, Feb. 2015.
B. K. Bareth, M. N. Tripathi, and R. Maravi, "High photovoltaic performance of lead-free Cs2AgInCl6-xBrx perovskite solar cell using DFT and SCAPS-1D simulations," Materials Today Communications, vol. 39, June 2024, Art. no. 108618. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mtcomm.2024.108618
Y. Liu, I. J. Cleveland, M. N. Tran, and E. S. Aydil, "Stability of the Halide Double Perovskite Cs2AgInBr6," The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters, vol. 14, no. 12, pp. 3000–3006, Mar. 2023. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpclett.3c00303
X.-G. Zhao et al., "Cu–In Halide Perovskite Solar Absorbers," Journal of the American Chemical Society, vol. 139, no. 19, pp. 6718–6725, May 2017. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.7b02120
O. Diachenko et al., "Structural and Optical Properties of CuO Thin Films Synthesized Using Spray Pyrolysis Method," Coatings, vol. 11, no. 11, Nov. 2021, Art. no. 1392. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings11111392
M. Khalid Hossain et al., "Combined DFT, SCAPS-1D, and wxAMPS frameworks for design optimization of efficient Cs 2 BiAgI 6 -based perovskite solar cells with different charge transport layers," Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) Advances, vol. 12, Dec. 2022, Art. no. 35002. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/D2RA06734J
S. K. Vasheghani Farahani et al., "Principles of Chemical Bonding and Band Gap Engineering in Hybrid Organic–Inorganic Halide Perovskites," Physical Review B, vol. 119, no. 11, pp. 5755–5760, Oct. 2014. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/jp512420b
H. Sabbah, Z. Abdel Baki, R. Mezher, and J. Arayro, "SCAPS-1D Modeling of Hydrogenated Lead-Free Cs2AgBiBr6 Double Perovskite Solar Cells with a Remarkable Efficiency of 26.3%," Nanomaterials, vol. 14, no. 1, 2024, Art. no. 48. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/nano14010048
J. P. C. Baena et al., "Highly efficient planar perovskite solar cells through band alignment engineering," Energy & Environmental Science, vol. 8, no. 10, pp. 2928–2934, 2015. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/C5EE02608C
K. Wang, Y. He, M. Zhang, J. Shi, and W. Cai, "Promising Lead-Free Double-Perovskite Photovoltaic Materials Cs2MM′Br6 (M = Cu, Ag, and Au; M′ = Ga, In, Sb, and Bi) with an Ideal Band Gap and High Power Conversion Efficiency," The Journal of Physical Chemistry C, vol. 125, no. 38, pp. 21160–21168, Sept. 2021. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpcc.1c05699
I. Chandran, T. D. Subash, and M. Batumalay, "Simulation and Optimization of ZnO/CuO/Cds Solar Cell Using SCAPS," NanoWorld Journal, vol. 9, no. S5, pp. S97–S100, 2023. DOI: https://doi.org/10.17756/nwj.2023-s5-019
N. Benaissa et al., "Experimental and numerical simulation studies of CuO thin films based solar cells," Engineering Research Express, vol. 5, no. 4, Nov. 2023, Art. no. 045038. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1088/2631-8695/ad05b3
P. Sawicka-Chudy et al., "Simulation of TiO2/CuO solar cells with SCAPS-1D software," Materials Research Express, vol. 6, no. 8, June 2019, Art. no. 085918. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1088/2053-1591/ab22aa
M. Ichimura and Y. Kato, "Fabrication of TiO2/Cu2O heterojunction solar cells by electrophoretic deposition and electrodeposition," Materials Science in Semiconductor Processing, vol. 16, no. 6, pp. 1538–1541, Dec. 2013. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mssp.2013.05.004
Downloads
How to Cite
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Leila Bechane, Hani Benguesmia, Tiouiri Hadda
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain the copyright and grant the journal the right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) after its publication in ETASR with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
