This paper describes modeling polycrystalline thin-film solar cells using the programAMPS-1D1to visualize the relationships between the many variables involved. These simulations are steps toward two dimensional modeling the effects of grain boundaries in polycrystalline cells. Although this paper describes results for the CdS/CdTe cell, the ideas presented here are applicable to copper-indium-gallium selenide (CIGS) cells as well as other types of cells. Results of these one-dimensional simulations are presented: (a) the duplication of experimentally observed cell parameters, (b) the effects of back-contact potential barrier height and its relation to stressing the cell, (c) the effects of the depletion layer width in the CdTe layer on cell parameters, and (d) the effects of CdS layer thickness on the cell parameters. Experience using the software is also described. ©1999 American Institute of Physics.