Arrays of ZnO/CuIn{sub x}Ga{sub 1−x}Se{sub 2} nanocables with tunable shell composition for efficient photovoltaics

Journal Article · Thu May 28 04:00:00 EDT 2015 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4921825· OSTI ID:22410261

Akram, Muhammad Aftab; Javed, Sofia ^[1]; Xu, Jun ^[2]; Mujahid, Mohammad ^[3]; Lee, Chun-Sing ^[1]

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1. Center of Super-Diamond and Advanced Films (COSDAF), Department of Physics and Materials Science, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong (Hong Kong)
2. School of Electronic Science and Applied Physics, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009 (China)
3. School of Chemical and Materials Engineering, National University of Sciences and Technology, Sector H-12, Islamabad 44000 (Pakistan)

Arrays of one-dimensional (1D) nanostructure are receiving much attention for their optoelectronic and photovoltaic applications due to their advantages in light absorption, charge separation, and transportation. In this work, arrays of ZnO/CuIn{sub x}Ga{sub 1−x}Se{sub 2} core/shell nanocables with tunable shell compositions over the full range of 0 ≤ x ≤ 1 have been controllably synthesized. Chemical conversions of ZnO nanorods to a series of ZnO-based nanocables, including ZnO/ZnSe, ZnO/CuSe, ZnO/CuSe/In{sub x}Ga{sub 1−x}, ZnO/CuSe/(In{sub x}Ga{sub 1−x}){sub 2}Se{sub 3}, and ZnO/CuIn{sub x}Ga{sub 1−x}Se{sub 2}, are well designed and successfully achieved. Composition-dependent influences of the CuIn{sub x}Ga{sub 1−x}Se{sub 2} shells on photovoltaic performance are investigated. It is found that the increase in indium content (x) leads to an increase in short-circuit current density (J{sub SC}) but a decrease in open-circuit voltage (V{sub OC}) for the ZnO/CuIn{sub x}Ga{sub 1−x}Se{sub 2} nanocable solar cells. An array of ZnO/CuIn{sub 0.67}Ga{sub 0.33}Se{sub 2} nanocables with a length of ∼1 μm and a shell thickness of ∼10 nm exhibits a bandgap of 1.20 eV, and yields a maximum power conversion efficiency of 1.74% under AM 1.5 G illumination at an intensity of 100 mW/cm{sup 2}. It dramatically surpasses that (0.22%) of the ZnO/CuIn{sub 0.67}Ga{sub 0.33}Se{sub 2} planar thin-film device. Our work reveals that 1D nanoarray allows efficient photovoltaics without using toxic CdS buffer layer.

• OSTI ID: 22410261
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Journal Name: Journal of Applied Physics Journal Issue: 20 Vol. 117; ISSN JAPIAU; ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
CADMIUM SULFIDES
CONCENTRATION RATIO
COPPER SELENIDES
CURRENT DENSITY
EFFICIENCY
ELECTRIC POTENTIAL
EV RANGE
GALLIUM SELENIDES
ILLUMINANCE
INDIUM SELENIDES
LAYERS
NANOSTRUCTURES
PHOTOVOLTAIC EFFECT
SOLAR CELLS
THIN FILMS
VISIBLE RADIATION
ZINC OXIDES
ZINC SELENIDES