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Title: Two-Step Annealing Study of Cuprous Oxide for Photovoltaic Applications

Journal Article · · IEEE Journal of Photovoltaics
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  1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States)
  2. National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
  3. Institute of Energy Conversion, Newark, DE (United States)
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In this report the properties of large grain cuprous oxide (Cu 2 O) foils are explored after the implementation of a controlled postgrowth annealing process. P-type foils with a wide range of carrier density are demonstrated, enabling a promising processing window for wide bandgap solar cell devices. Hall measurements at room temperature show increased majority carrier concentration after nitrogen annealing and a reduction in mobility. The progressive change in resistivity with annealing temperature is shown, with values approaching 100 Ω·cm. Carrier recombination, measured by microwave photoconductance decay, shows a discrete change upon annealing.

Research Organization:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE); National Research Foundation Singapore; National Science Foundation (NSF)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC36-08GO28308; ECCS-1150878; DMR-0819762; ECS-0335765
OSTI ID:
1225337
Report Number(s):
NREL/JA-5J00-65116
Journal Information:
IEEE Journal of Photovoltaics, Vol. 5, Issue 5; Related Information: IEEE Journal of Photovoltaics; ISSN 2156-3381
Publisher:
IEEECopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 3 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

References (12)

Improved Cu 2 O-Based Solar Cells Using Atomic Layer Deposition to Control the Cu Oxidation State at the p-n Junction journal April 2014
Lifetime analysis of silicon solar cells by microwave reflection journal August 2008
Electronic structure of Cu 2 O and CuO journal December 1988
High-Efficiency Cu 2 O-Based Heterojunction Solar Cells Fabricated Using a Ga 2 O 3 Thin Film as N-Type Layer journal April 2013
Explanation for low-efficiency Cu2O Schottky-barrier solar cells journal January 1979
Atomic Layer Deposited Gallium Oxide Buffer Layer Enables 1.2 V Open-Circuit Voltage in Cuprous Oxide Solar Cells journal May 2014
Ultrathin amorphous zinc-tin-oxide buffer layer for enhancing heterojunction interface quality in metal-oxide solar cells journal January 2013
Origins of the p -type nature and cation deficiency in Cu 2 O and related materials journal July 2007
High-Efficiency Oxide Solar Cells with ZnO/Cu 2 O Heterojunction Fabricated on Thermally Oxidized Cu 2 O Sheets journal May 2011
Heterojunction solar cell with 6% efficiency based on an n-type aluminum–gallium–oxide thin film and p-type sodium-doped Cu 2 O sheet journal January 2015
Materials Availability Expands the Opportunity for Large-Scale Photovoltaics Deployment journal March 2009
Native defect-induced multifarious magnetism in nonstoichiometric cuprous oxide: First-principles study of bulk and surface properties of Cu 2 − δ O journal January 2009

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Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
annealing
charge carrier density
charge carrier mobility
copper compounds
photoconductivity
photovoltaic cells
X-ray diffraction