Analysis of e-beam deposited CeO2 films as ARC material for Silicon based solar cells

Analysis of e-beam deposited CeO2 films as ARC material for Silicon based solar cells | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Analysis of e-beam deposited CeO2 films as ARC material for Silicon based solar cells Sameen Maqsood, Khuram Ali, Muhammad Zahid, Hafeez Anwar This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-6748278/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Published Journal Publication published 10 Jan, 2026 Read the published version in Chemical Papers → Version 1 posted 6 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract In this work performance of silicon based solar cell is investigated for its high efficiency and low cost. Efficiency can be enhanced by the induction of an AR layer to solar cell. In this manuscript impact of AR coating on efficiency enhancement of c-Si solar cell is discussed. Cerium oxide (CeO 2 ) films, that were deposited in oxygen atmosphere by the PVD method has been chosen for AR material for silicon solar cell. In this regard, a PCID stimulator is used to determine the optical and electrical parameters of the solar cell after the application of AR layer. CeO 2 films deposited at 300 K, 473 K, 573 and 573 K substrate temperature is chosen for Single AR coating. Experimental refractive index is used to find the effect of these layers on performance of solar cell. Optical and electrical properties of these films are studied for 500–1200 nm wavelength. It is found that optical and electrical properties of AR material depends on substrate temperature. Different AR materials were used for comparative analysis like Al 2 O 3 , MgO, SiO 2 , TiO 2 , TIN, ZnS, MgF 2 , ZnSe, and SIC with CeO 2 in the search for the maximum efficiency of silicon solar cells. Simulation results verified that solar cell shows best performance with CeO 2 films at 300 K with substrate temperature. Maximum efficiency of 19.7% with Jsc of 37.4 mA/cm 2 and Voc of 0.6320 V was observed with CeO 2 film at 300 K. Solar cell performance parameters including η ,Voc, Jsc , EQE, and R(%) were graphically analyzed. The optimized structure may have a significant influence on the future development of advanced photovoltaic devices. Anti Reflection Coating PC1D Cerium Dioxide Efficiency Silicon Solar cell Reflectance External Quantum Efficiency Full Text Cite Share Download PDF Status: Published Journal Publication published 10 Jan, 2026 Read the published version in Chemical Papers → Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Accept 04 Dec, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 20 Jun, 2025 Reviewers invited by journal 20 Jun, 2025 Editor invited by journal 03 Jun, 2025 Editor assigned by journal 02 Jun, 2025 First submitted to journal 29 May, 2025 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-6748278","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":473964442,"identity":"7221c723-ceba-41df-95f4-1abd8e4a75d3","order_by":0,"name":"Sameen Maqsood","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA5ElEQVRIiWNgGAWjYNADngoLHlK1nJEgVQtvmwRhRfLtpxMffNyxTZ7v/OGDD97Ok5AxON7A+OFjDm4tBmdyNxvOPHPbcOaNtGTDudskeAzOHGCWnLkNjxaG3G3SvG23GTfc4DGT5gVqkZyRwMbMi0eLfP/b7b//tt2233D+DFDLHKCW+Q/wa2G4kbuNmbHtduKGAzlALQ0SPPwSDPi1GNx4u1myt+12Mtgvc44BtfAkNuP1i3x/7sYPP9tu2/aBQuxNjY09G/vhgx8+4nMYHByAsxgbiFGPomUUjIJRMApGASoAAMLKU4Wd13o3AAAAAElFTkSuQmCC","orcid":"","institution":"University of Agriculture Faisalabad","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Sameen","middleName":"","lastName":"Maqsood","suffix":""},{"id":473964443,"identity":"4dda4b89-8b81-490b-b7d8-2804dda335f1","order_by":1,"name":"Khuram Ali","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Agriculture Faisalabad","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Khuram","middleName":"","lastName":"Ali","suffix":""},{"id":473964444,"identity":"80f0fe6a-8d9e-453b-a2f5-b6d62f0d6b35","order_by":2,"name":"Muhammad Zahid","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Agriculture Faisalabad","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Muhammad","middleName":"","lastName":"Zahid","suffix":""},{"id":473964445,"identity":"4f2f0794-bab3-4c8c-adc8-fabaca387f58","order_by":3,"name":"Hafeez Anwar","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Agriculture Faisalabad","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Hafeez","middleName":"","lastName":"Anwar","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2025-05-26 07:50:25","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-6748278/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6748278/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[{"content":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11696-025-04580-w","type":"published","date":"2026-01-10T15:58:11+00:00"}],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":100069601,"identity":"751e94c8-28f9-43d8-ad93-f1b3d7ba0af9","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-01-12 16:14:59","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":1287047,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"Manuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-6748278/v1_covered_8f20da41-843f-4fde-a731-5251ba711ac0.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"","formattedTitle":"Analysis of e-beam deposited CeO2 films as ARC material for Silicon based solar cells","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":true,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"chemical-papers","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"chpa","sideBox":"Learn more about [Chemical Papers](http://link.springer.com/journal/11696)","snPcode":"11696","submissionUrl":"https://www.editorialmanager.com/CHPA/default.aspx","title":"Chemical Papers","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"Springer Hybrid","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":false},"keywords":"Anti Reflection Coating, PC1D, Cerium Dioxide, Efficiency, Silicon Solar cell, Reflectance, External Quantum Efficiency","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-6748278/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6748278/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eIn this work performance of silicon based solar cell is investigated for its high efficiency and low cost. Efficiency can be enhanced by the induction of an AR layer to solar cell. In this manuscript impact of AR coating on efficiency enhancement of c-Si solar cell is discussed. Cerium oxide (CeO\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e ) films, that were deposited in oxygen atmosphere by the PVD method has been chosen for AR material for silicon solar cell. In this regard, a PCID stimulator is used to determine the optical and electrical parameters of the solar cell after the application of AR layer. CeO\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e films deposited at 300 K, 473 K, 573 and 573 K substrate temperature is chosen for Single AR coating. Experimental refractive index is used to find the effect of these layers on performance of solar cell. Optical and electrical properties of these films are studied for 500\u0026ndash;1200 nm wavelength. It is found that optical and electrical properties of AR material depends on substrate temperature. Different AR materials were used for comparative analysis like Al\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003eO\u003csub\u003e3\u003c/sub\u003e, MgO, SiO\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e, TiO\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e, TIN, ZnS, MgF\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e, ZnSe, and SIC with CeO\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e in the search for the maximum efficiency of silicon solar cells. Simulation results verified that solar cell shows best performance with CeO\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e films at 300 K with substrate temperature. Maximum efficiency of 19.7% with \u003cem\u003eJsc\u003c/em\u003e of 37.4 mA/cm\u003csup\u003e2\u003c/sup\u003e and \u003cem\u003eVoc\u003c/em\u003e of 0.6320 V was observed with CeO\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e film at 300 K. Solar cell performance parameters including \u003cem\u003eη ,Voc, Jsc\u003c/em\u003e, EQE, and R(%) were graphically analyzed. 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