Numerical impedance and modulus spectroscopy of CuInSe2 thin-film solar cells: relaxation processes and equivalent-circuit analysis
- 1Laboratory Physics of Condensed Matter (LPMC), University Chouaib Doukkali El-Jadida Morocco [email protected] [email protected].
Abstract
Most numerical studies of CuInSe₂ (CIS) solar cells rely mainly on current-voltage analysis, while their frequency-dependent electrical processes remain less explored. In this work, an ITO/ZnSe/CuInSe₂/WSe₂/Cu-doped C solar cell was investigated using the DC and small-signal AC capabilities of SCAPS-1D. The effects of CIS thickness, series resistance (R s), shunt resistance (R sh), and interface defects were systematically examined. An optimal absorber thickness of 1.2 µm yielded a maximum simulated PCE of approximately 33.4%. Increasing R s mainly reduced FF and PCE, whereas increasing R sh suppressed leakage losses and improved device performance. Interface defects enhanced recombination and mainly affected the low- and intermediate-frequency responses. Combined impedance Z*(ω) and modulus M*(ω) analyses over 10⁻³-100 MHz revealed three overlapping relaxation contributions. A three-branch equivalent-circuit model was used to separate these contributions and determine their characteristic time constants. Their sensitivities to thickness, parasitic resistances, and interface defects support their tentative association with recombination and leakage, carrier transport, and fast interfacial relaxation. The analysis of the fitted resistances and capacitances clarified the evolution of the relaxation times and provided complementary insight into the simulated photovoltaic response.
Related
- A dynamic electrochemical impedance spectroscopy extraction method for PEM water electrolyzers considering time resolution
- Limitations of Impedance Spectroscopy in Detecting Interfacial Contact Quality – Insights from Metal Anode Dissolution in Solid-State Batteries
- Physics-informed impedance spectroscopy for diagnosing XLPE cable insulation aging based on a second-order Havriliak-Negami dielectric model
- Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy of (Photo)electrochemical Systems: A Practical Guide.
- Size-Dependent Conductivity of MOF Nanoparticles with Variable-Pressure Impedance Spectroscopy
BibTeX
@article{mouhiha2026numerical,
title = {{Numerical impedance and modulus spectroscopy of CuInSe2 thin-film solar cells: relaxation processes and equivalent-circuit analysis}},
author = {Abdelhadi Mouhiha and Abdelaziz Amine and Reddad El Moznine},
journal = {RSC advances},
year = {2026},
month = nov,
doi = {10.1039/d6ra09020f},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13725872},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Numerical impedance and modulus spectroscopy of CuInSe2 thin-film solar cells: relaxation processes and equivalent-circuit analysis
AU - Abdelhadi Mouhiha
AU - Abdelaziz Amine
AU - Reddad El Moznine
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/11/02
JO - RSC advances
DO - 10.1039/d6ra09020f
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13725872
AB - Most numerical studies of CuInSe₂ (CIS) solar cells rely mainly on current-voltage analysis, while their frequency-dependent electrical processes remain less explored. In this work, an ITO/ZnSe/CuInSe₂/WSe₂/Cu-doped C solar cell was investigated using the DC and small-signal AC capabilities of SCAPS-1D. The effects of CIS thickness, series resistance (R s), shunt resistance (R sh), and interface defects were systematically examined. An optimal absorber thickness of 1.2 µm yielded a maximum simulated PCE of approximately 33.4%. Increasing R s mainly reduced FF and PCE, whereas increasing R sh suppressed leakage losses and improved device performance. Interface defects enhanced recombination and mainly affected the low- and intermediate-frequency responses. Combined impedance Z*(ω) and modulus M*(ω) analyses over 10⁻³-100 MHz revealed three overlapping relaxation contributions. A three-branch equivalent-circuit model was used to separate these contributions and determine their characteristic time constants. Their sensitivities to thickness, parasitic resistances, and interface defects support their tentative association with recombination and leakage, carrier transport, and fast interfacial relaxation. The analysis of the fitted resistances and capacitances clarified the evolution of the relaxation times and provided complementary insight into the simulated photovoltaic response.
SN - 2046-2069
ER -