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    Wittich2011 SonkusaleVandervelde

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    This document describes a proposed new design for low-cost solar cells made of copper oxide and zinc oxide using a wet chemistry fabrication process. The design aims to make solar cells more affordable through inexpensive and earth-abundant materials as well as a scalable production method. Currently, results are pending as the researchers work to overcome challenges like preventing short-circuiting when depositing layers and optimizing materials and thicknesses. They expect this nanowire cell structure could improve efficiency by harvesting more energy from each photon through hot carrier conversion and increased light absorption.

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    Wittich2011 SonkusaleVandervelde

    Uploaded by

    vishiwizard
    36 views1 page
    This document describes a proposed new design for low-cost solar cells made of copper oxide and zinc oxide using a wet chemistry fabrication process. The design aims to make solar cells more affordable through inexpensive and earth-abundant materials as well as a scalable production method. Currently, results are pending as the researchers work to overcome challenges like preventing short-circuiting when depositing layers and optimizing materials and thicknesses. They expect this nanowire cell structure could improve efficiency by harvesting more energy from each photon through hot carrier conversion and increased light absorption.

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    Wittich2011_SonkusaleVandervelde

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    This document describes a proposed new design for low-cost solar cells made of copper oxide and zinc oxide using a wet chemistry fabrication process. The design aims to make solar cells more affordable through inexpensive and earth-abundant materials as well as a scalable production method. Currently, results are pending as the researchers work to overcome challenges like preventing short-circuiting when depositing layers and optimizing materials and thicknesses. They expect this nanowire cell structure could improve efficiency by harvesting more energy from each photon through hot carrier conversion and increased light absorption.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    36 views1 page

    Wittich2011 SonkusaleVandervelde

    Uploaded by

    vishiwizard
    This document describes a proposed new design for low-cost solar cells made of copper oxide and zinc oxide using a wet chemistry fabrication process. The design aims to make solar cells more affordable through inexpensive and earth-abundant materials as well as a scalable production method. Currently, results are pending as the researchers work to overcome challenges like preventing short-circuiting when depositing layers and optimizing materials and thicknesses. They expect this nanowire cell structure could improve efficiency by harvesting more energy from each photon through hot carrier conversion and increased light absorption.

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    Solar cells are a promising, green energy source; however,

    cost and efficiency limitations prevent widespread


    adoption. We propose a solar cell design that is cost-
    effective both in production and materials. Here, the
    junction is made of copper (I) oxide and zinc oxide, which
    are oxides of earth-abundant metals. Furthermore, we
    utilize a wet chemistry fabrication process, making the
    production of such cells inexpensive and easily scalable.
    The process involves growing copper nanowires,
    depositing zinc, oxidizing, and depositing a top contact,
    detailed in the fabrication section. This is a greener
    manufacturing method of solar cells where no harmful
    compounds or excessive energy is used in fabrication.
    Currently results are pending.
    Abstract Results
    Conclusion
    Wet Chemistry Based Low Cost Nanowire Photovoltaic Cells
    S. MacNaughton
    1
    , D. F. DeMeo
    2
    , Sameer Sonkusale
    1
    , Thomas E. Vandervelde
    2

    1
    Nanoscale Integrated Circuits and Sensors Laboratory,
    2
    Renewable Energy and Applied Photonics Laboratory
    ECE department, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA
    Fabrication
    We thank the support from the Wittich family as part of the Tufts School of Engineering Wittich Energy Sustainability Initiative for this research
    Motivation and Significance
    Results Comparison to traditional Si solar cell
    Nanowire, earth abundant oxide solar cells offer
    several advantages over traditional bulk silicon:
    Inexpensive materials - copper, zinc and their oxides
    are earth-abundant and easily refined elements and
    molecules.
    Inexpensive fabrication - the electrochemical
    fabrication techniques presented here are used
    extensively in industry due to their ease of operation
    and cost-effectiveness at all scales of production.
    Hot carrier conversion - the nanowire arrangement of
    this cell allows for more energy to be harvested from
    each photon absorbed.
    Increased absorption - the nanowires create a dark
    surface which improves absorption in the cell.
    Although the nanowire geometry will suffer from a decreased quantum efficiency due
    to the spacing between the individual wires, it will be able to convert more energy
    from each incident photon that strikes the active area. This is called harvesting hot
    carriers. A hot carrier is a photon with an energy above the band gap of the material.
    Normally these will be absorbed and the excess energy above the band gap will be
    lost thermally, but with the decreased distance to the contacts in the nanowire
    geometry more of this excess energy will be converted into electricity.
    Entire cell is less than 15m thick.
    Flexible
    Cell weighs 15mg/cm2
    Material costs are <$1USD per m
    2

    Much progress has been made on
    developing the process to fabricate these
    solar cells. The largest difficulty is to
    overcome short circuiting the layers when
    depositing the top contact. As can be seen
    we see a diode response before the top
    contact layer is applied, however once the
    top contact is in place the cell only exhibits a
    resistive response.
    Future work includes further testing and
    fabrication to obtain a working sample.
    There is also much work to be done in
    optimizing each layer. The ITO transparent
    conducting oxide can be optimized for
    increased transmittance and conductance.
    We eventually hope to replace this with a
    cheaper, more abundant TCO such as TiO
    2

    or ZnO.

    Thermal
    oxidation causes
    interdiffusion
    across the Cu/Zn
    boundary.
    Therefore ZnO is
    directly
    electroplated
    onto the copper
    oxide nanowires.
    Right: Copper nanowire
    growth is successful
    and consistent
    Left: Zinc on copper
    nanowires
    Right: EDS showing the presence
    of both zinc and copper
    Zn evaporated
    onto CuO
    nanowires
    Top View
    Thermalization of hot carrier IV curve of Flat cell on glass
    An early sample of the nanowire cell.
    ZnO Deposition
    Left: Deposition rate of ZnO and ZnO:Al 2% lms as function of substrate temperature
    Right: Inuence of deposition temperature on the resistivity of both undoped and doped
    2%Al ZnO layers (Yousfi et. al. Thin Solid Films Volume 387, Issues 1-2, 29 May 2001, Pages 29-32)
    Reduced Reflection

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