Two-dimensional modelling of electron flow through a poorly conducting layer

Motivated by contact resistance on the front side of a crystalline silicon solar cell, we formulate and analyse a two-dimensional mathematical model for electron flow across a poorly conducting (glass) layer situated between silver electrodes, based on the drift-diffusion (Poisson-Nernst-Planck) equations. We devise and validate a novel spectral method to solve this model numerically. We find that the current short-circuits through thin glass layer regions. This enables us to determine asymptotic expressions for the average current density for two different canonical glass layer profiles