Investigation of suitable buffer layer for PbS-TBAI/PbS-EDT colloidal quantum dot solar cell using SCAPS-1D

Colloidal quantum dots (CQD) are emerging third-generation photovoltaic technologies because of their ability to link a wider range of the light spectrum compared to those of perovskite, crystalline, and copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) solar cells. In this work, a lead sulphur (PbS) CQD solar cell architecture with Ag2S, CdS, ZnSe and ZnS buffer layer is presented. The device consisting of PbS-tetrabutyle ammonium iodide (PbS-TBAI) as an absorber layer, PbS-1,2-ethanedithiol (PbS-EDT) as a hole transport layer (HTL), TiO2 as an electron transport layer (ETL), and fluorine tin oxide (FTO) as an oxide layer. The electrical performances of the solar cells were simulated using SCAPS 1-D while taking into account different buffer layers with increasing bandgap values. With ZnS acting as a buffer layer, the computational modelling and analysis of architectural PbS CQD solar cell result in an efficiency of 17.12%. Additionally, the parameters of the solar cell have been studied to be affected by the thickness and bandgap of the absorber and HTL layers, the effect of acceptor concentration with various buffer layers, the impact of temperature, the effect of HTL doping density, and the effect of absorber layer defect density. This study can serve as a guide for future PbS CQD solar cells.