Influence of MAPbI3 absorber layer properties on WO3/MAPbI3/GO perovskite solar cells' performance using SCAPS-1D

Saleh R. Al-Bashaish; Hmoud Al Dmour; Bonginkosi V. Kheswa; Selma Rabhi; Nabil Bouri; Ahmad M. D. (Assa'd) Jaber; Ahmad Telfah; Saleh R. Al-Bashaish; Hmoud Al Dmour; Bonginkosi V. Kheswa; Selma Rabhi; Nabil Bouri; Ahmad M. D. (Assa'd) Jaber; Ahmad Telfah

doi:10.3934/energy.2026045

AIMS Energy

2026, Volume 14, Issue 5: 1142-1163. doi: 10.3934/energy.2026045

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Influence of MAPbI₃ absorber layer properties on WO₃/MAPbI₃/GO perovskite solar cells' performance using SCAPS-1D

1.
Department of Allied Sciences, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Al-Ahliyya Amman University, Amman 19328, Jordan
2.
Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Mutah University, 6170 Mutah, Jordan
3.
Department of Physics, University of Johannesburg, 55 Beit Street, Johannesburg, 2028, South Africa
4.
Laboratory of Innovative Environmental Preservation Techniques, Mechanical engineering department, University of Constantine 1, Constantine 25000, Algeria
5.
Laboratory of Materials Physics and Subatomic, Ibn Tofail University, Kenitra, Morocco
6.
Aqaba Medical Sciences University, Department of Basic Humanities and Sciences, Aqaba 77110, Jordan
7.
Hamdi Mango Center for Scientific Research (HMCSR), The University of Jordan, Amman 11942, Jordan
8.
University of Applied Science and Arts Dortmund, FH Dortmund, 44139 Dortmund, Germany

Received: 04 June 2026 Revised: 21 September 2026 Accepted: 22 September 2026 Published: 29 September 2026

The solar cell capacitance simulator in one dimension was used to examine how the perovskite layer's properties influence devices' performance in a simulated solar cell structure comprising graphene oxide (GO) as the hole transport material (HTL), tungsten trioxide (WO₃) as the electron transport material (ETL), and methylammonium lead iodide (MAPbI₃) as the absorber layer. The simulation investigated the effects of the MAPbI₃ layer's thickness, defect density, electron affinity, and doping concentration on photovoltaic parameters. The baseline nonoptimized structure yielded a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 7.1%, with a short-circuit current density (Jsc) of 11.38 mA/cm², an open-circuit voltage (Voc) of 0.80 V, and a fill factor (FF) of 77.9%. Optimization of the MAPbI₃ layer's thickness to 1.2 µm and the acceptor doping density to 1.0 × 10²² cm^-3 improved the $ \mathrm{P}\mathrm{C}\mathrm{E} $ to 22.9%, with Jsc = 28 mA/cm², Voc = 0.93 V, and FF = 87.4%. These improvements stem from enhanced light absorption and more efficient charge separation. Alternating current (AC) analysis through capacitance–voltage and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy indicated that optimized doping reduces series resistance and modifies the depletion region's width, though the interpretation of the Nyquist plots requires careful consideration of competing transport and recombination processes. These findings provide guidance for experimental design of perovskite solar cells, though the simulated efficiencies represent theoretical upper bounds that may not be achievable experimentally with these transport layer materials.
- perovskite solar cells,
- MAPbI-graphene oxide,
- tungsten trioxide,
- SCAPS-1D simulation,
- doping optimization
Citation: Saleh R. Al-Bashaish, Hmoud Al Dmour, Bonginkosi V. Kheswa, Selma Rabhi, Nabil Bouri, Ahmad M. D. (Assa'd) Jaber, Ahmad Telfah. Influence of MAPbI₃ absorber layer properties on WO₃/MAPbI₃/GO perovskite solar cells' performance using SCAPS-1D[J]. AIMS Energy, 2026, 14(5): 1142-1163. doi: 10.3934/energy.2026045

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Abstract

The solar cell capacitance simulator in one dimension was used to examine how the perovskite layer's properties influence devices' performance in a simulated solar cell structure comprising graphene oxide (GO) as the hole transport material (HTL), tungsten trioxide (WO₃) as the electron transport material (ETL), and methylammonium lead iodide (MAPbI₃) as the absorber layer. The simulation investigated the effects of the MAPbI₃ layer's thickness, defect density, electron affinity, and doping concentration on photovoltaic parameters. The baseline nonoptimized structure yielded a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 7.1%, with a short-circuit current density (Jsc) of 11.38 mA/cm², an open-circuit voltage (Voc) of 0.80 V, and a fill factor (FF) of 77.9%. Optimization of the MAPbI₃ layer's thickness to 1.2 µm and the acceptor doping density to 1.0 × 10²² cm^-3 improved the $ \mathrm{P}\mathrm{C}\mathrm{E} $ to 22.9%, with Jsc = 28 mA/cm², Voc = 0.93 V, and FF = 87.4%. These improvements stem from enhanced light absorption and more efficient charge separation. Alternating current (AC) analysis through capacitance–voltage and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy indicated that optimized doping reduces series resistance and modifies the depletion region's width, though the interpretation of the Nyquist plots requires careful consideration of competing transport and recombination processes. These findings provide guidance for experimental design of perovskite solar cells, though the simulated efficiencies represent theoretical upper bounds that may not be achievable experimentally with these transport layer materials.

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