Optical and electrical design guidelines for ZnO/CdS nanorod-based CdTe solar cells

An alternative structure to planar CdTe solar cells is realized by coating ZnO/CdS nanorods (NRs) with a CdTe layer. These structures are expected to achieve high-powered conversion efficiencies through enhanced light absorption and charge carrier collection. ZnO NR-based CdTe solar cell efficiencies; however, they have remained well below their planar counterparts, thus hindering NRs in CdTe solar cells' advantages. Here, we analyze the light trapping and carrier collection efficiencies in two types of ZnO NR-based CdTe solar cells through optical and electrical simulations. The buried CdTe solar cells are formed by completely filling the gaps in between ZnO/CdS NRs. This produces a maximum achievable photo-current of 27.4 mA/cm(2) when 2000 nm-tall and 20 degrees-angularly-deviated NRs are used. A short-circuit current density of 27.3 mA/cm(2) is achievable with the same geometry for 5 rods/mu m(2)-dense NRs when a moderate CdTe doping density and a CdS/CdTe surface velocity of 10(16) cm(-3) and 10(4) cm/s are used, respectively. We reveal the potential of buried CdTe solar cell for high-charge carrier collection and provide a design guideline in order to achieve high short-circuit current densities with ZnO NR-based CdTe solar cells. (c) 2019 Optical Society of America under the terms of the OSA Open Access Publishing Agreement