Nanostructured Copper Oxide (Cu2O) Solar Cells
Nanostructured solar cells with copper (I) oxide absorber layers provide considerable promise for the future of solar cell technology. Because it is abundant, nontoxic, inexpensive, and photoactive, copper (I) oxide has great potential as a p-type absorber material. The purpose of this project was to develop a solid state copper (I) oxide solar cell with maximum efficiency. The components of the solar cells included a conductive glass substrate of fluorine doped tin oxide and an array of vertical zinc oxide nanowires grown on the substrate by chemical bath deposition. The zinc oxide nanowires served as the n-type electron conductor in the cell. A layer of copper (I) oxide was then electrodeposited directly onto the nanowires, followed by thermal evaporation of gold contacts. The current-voltage characteristics of the cells will be measured using a potentiostat in order to determine the open circuit voltage, short circuit current density, and overall cell efficiency. One limiting factor for solar cell efficiency is unfavorably low shunt resistance. Low shunt resistance allows charges to flow in different pathways without adding to the photocurrent, decreasing overall cell efficiency. In the future, a blocking layer between the nanowire and copper (I) oxide will be investigated to increase shunt resistance.
Nanostructured solar cells with copper (I) oxide absorber layers provide considerable promise for the future of solar cell technology. Because it is abundant, nontoxic, inexpensive, and photoactive, copper (I) oxide has great potential as a p-type absorber material. The purpose of this project was to develop a solid state copper (I) oxide solar cell with maximum efficiency. The components of the solar cells included a conductive glass substrate of fluorine doped tin oxide and an array of vertical zinc oxide nanowires grown on the substrate by chemical bath deposition. The zinc oxide nanowires served as the n-type electron conductor in the cell. A layer of copper (I) oxide was then electrodeposited directly onto the nanowires, followed by thermal evaporation of gold contacts. The current-voltage characteristics of the cells will be measured using a potentiostat in order to determine the open circuit voltage, short circuit current density, and overall cell efficiency. One limiting factor for solar cell efficiency is unfavorably low shunt resistance. Low shunt resistance allows charges to flow in different pathways without adding to the photocurrent, decreasing overall cell efficiency. In the future, a blocking layer between the nanowire and copper (I) oxide will be investigated to increase shunt resistance.