The n-silicon/thallium(III) oxide heterojunction photoelectrochemical solar cell

Journal Article · Mon Mar 31 23:00:00 EST 1986 · J. Electrochem. Soc.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1149/1.2108662· OSTI ID:5509554

Switzer, J A

Thallium(III) oxide is a degenerate n-type semiconductor which can be electrochemically or photoelectrochemically deposited on conducting or semiconducting substrates. The material is highly conductive, transparent, and electrocatalytic. A photoelectrochemical cell consisting of the n-silicon/thallium(III) oxide photoanode and a platinum cathode in an alkaline solution of the ferrocyanide/ferricyanide redox couple produced a 0.512V open-circuit photovoltage, 33.5 mA/cm/sup 2/ short-circuit photocurrent density, 0.643 fill factor, and 13.8, photovoltaic efficiency with 80 mW/cm/sup 2/ iR-filtered xenon light. The efficiency was 11.0% with 75.3 mW/cm/sup 2/ natural sunlight, and 22.3% with 800 nm monochromatic light. The short-circuit quantum efficiency at 800 nm was 97%. A xenon photovoltaic efficiency of 10.2% was observed with cast multicrystalline n-silicon. Photocurrent-voltage curves were computer simulated using values of the barrier height (0.96V), diode quality factor (1.2), and series resistance (200..cap omega..) that were measured from dark current voltage and capacitance-voltage curves. A solid-state photovoltaic cell was fabricated by making a low-pressure point contact to the front surface of a dry photoanode. The photovoltaic characteristics of the solid-state cell were nearly identical with those of the photoelectrochemical cell. These results suggest that the photoelectrochemical cell functions like a Schottky-barrier or SIS solid-state photovoltaic cell in series with a highly reversible electrochemical cell.

• Research Organization: UNOCAL Corp., UNOCAL Science and Technology Div., Brea, CA 92621
• OSTI ID: 5509554
• Journal Information: J. Electrochem. Soc.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Electrochem. Soc.; (United States) Vol. 133:4; ISSN JESOA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140501* -- Solar Energy Conversion-- Photovoltaic Conversion
140505 -- Solar Energy Conversion-- Photochemical
Photobiological
& Thermochemical Conversion-- (1980-)
CATALYSTS
CATHODES
CHALCOGENIDES
COMPLEXES
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
CURRENT DENSITY
CURRENTS
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
EFFICIENCY
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
ELECTRIC CURRENTS
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ELECTROCATALYSTS
ELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS
ELECTRODES
ELEMENTS
EQUIPMENT
FABRICATION
FERRICYANIDES
FERROCYANIDES
FILL FACTORS
FLUIDS
GASES
HETEROJUNCTIONS
IRON COMPLEXES
JUNCTIONS
MATERIALS
METALS
N-TYPE CONDUCTORS
NONMETALS
OPACITY
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PERFORMANCE
PHOTOCURRENTS
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOELECTROCHEMICAL CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PLATINUM
PLATINUM METALS
QUANTUM EFFICIENCY
RARE GASES
SEMICONDUCTOR JUNCTIONS
SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS
SILICON SOLAR CELLS
SIMULATION
SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SUBSTRATES
THALLIUM COMPOUNDS
THALLIUM OXIDES
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPLEXES
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
XENON