Numerical simulations on the limits for the efficiency improvement of hybrid dye-microcrystalline silicon solar cells

Composite material solar cells have been proposed and even recently processed with dye sensitizers embedded in a microcrystalline silicon thin film matrix to enhance absorption. In this contribution we present calculations to estimate the efficiency improvement of such hybrid dye-microcrystalline silicon solar cells compared to pure single junction pin microcrystalline solar cells. The simulation results for varying thicknesses of the dye-incorporated microcrystalline silicon layer demonstrate a potential efficiency improvement of almost 30% compared with a pure microcrystalline silicon cell. For the same efficiency, the thickness of the hybrid system can potentially be reduced to almost one-third of the pure microcrystalline layer. We discuss how these achievements depend on the photon energies of maximum absorption of the dye. ► Dye molecules in a μc-Si:H matrix can significantly improve the absorption. ► The overall efficiency can potentially be improved by almost 30%. ► The thickness reduction for a dye/μc-Si:H hybrid cell can be as large as one-third.