Exploring the potential of standalone and tandem solar cells with Sb₂S₃ and Sb₂Se₃ absorbers: a simulation study

Thin-film antimony chalcogenide binary compounds are potential candidates for efficient and low-cost photovoltaic absorbers. This study investigates the performance of Sb₂S₃ and Sb₂Se₃ as photovoltaic absorbers, aiming to optimize their efficiency. The standalone Sb₂S₃ and Sb₂Se₃ sub-cells are analyzed using SCAPS-1D simulations, and then a tandem structure with Sb₂S₃ as the top-cell absorber and Sb₂Se₃ as the bottom-cell absorber is designed, using the filtered spectrum and the current matching technique. The optimal configuration for maximum efficiency is achieved by adjusting the thickness of the absorber layer. The results show that antimony chalcogenide binary compounds have great potential as photovoltaic absorbers, enabling the development of efficient and low-cost solar cells. A remarkable conversion efficiency of 22.2% is achieved for the optimized tandem cell structure, with absorber thicknesses of 420 nm and 1020 nm for the top and bottom sub-cells respectively. This study presents a promising approach towards high-performance tandem solar cells.