Simulation studies on the effect of a buffer layer on the external parameters of hydrogenated amorphous silicon p-i-n solar cells

Abstract. Device modeling of p¿i¿n junction amorphous silicon solar cells has been carried out using the amorphous semiconductor analysis (ASA) simulation programme. The aim of the study was to explain the role of a buffer layer in between the p- and i-layers of the p¿i¿n solar cell on the external parameters such as dark current density and open circuit voltage. Investigations based on the simulation of dark I¿V characteristics revealed that as the buffer layer thickness increases the dark current for a given voltage decreases. Keywords. Solar cell; thin film; buffer layer.