Analysis of degradation of Sb₂Se₃ thin film solar cells deploying a time-dependent approach linked with 1D-AMPS simulation

In this paper, we have developed a time-dependent model to study defect growth in the absorber layer of Sb₂Se₃ thin film solar cells. This model has been integrated with the AMPS-1D simulation platform to investigate the impact of increasing defect density at different positions within the Sb₂Se₃ layer on the electrical parameters of the solar cell. We adopted the Gloeckler standard model for thin films in AMPS to represent Sb₂Se₃ materials. The study focuses on tracking the degradation of device performance parameters as donor-like mid-gap states accumulate in the Sb₂Se₃ layer over time. We monitored the variation of key electrical parameters, including efficiency (η), fill factor (FF), open-circuit voltage (V_oc), and short-circuit current (J_sc), at three different positions: the interface with CdS, the bulk of the Sb₂Se₃ layer, and the interface with the top contact. These positions are susceptible to increasing defect density during prolonged operation and irradiation. To pinpoint the most sensitive part of the Sb₂Se₃ layer to defect accumulation, we divided the layer into three sub-layers. Our simulation results highlight that the CdS/Sb₂Se₃ interface is the most vulnerable position in the cell when it comes to defect accumulation. The practical implication of this study is that special attention should be given to the CdS/Sb₂Se₃ interface during material deposition and the development of high-stability Sb₂Se₃ thin film solar cells.“