Copper photoelectroplating using a n-CuInSe/sub 2//acidic iodide based cell

Journal Article · Fri Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1988 · J. Electrochem. Soc.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1149/1.2096167· OSTI ID:6497746

Menezes, S ^[1]

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1. Rockwell International Science Center, Thousand Oaks, CA (US)

This communication describes a novel method to electroplate Cu in a solar cell while generating electrical energy. The method is based on controlling the redox equilibria between the Cu/sup +/++/ and the I/sup -//I/sub 2/ couples, so that I/sup -/ is photooxidized at CuInSe/sub 2/ photoanode while Cu/sup ++/ is reduced at a metal (the substrate to be plated) cathode. The CuInSe/sub 2//electrolyte interface has been primarily investigated for photoelectrochemical (PEC) conversion of solar energy. Rigorous control of interface reactions allows an energy conversion efficiency of 12.2% for the CuInSe/sub 2//I/sup -/-I/sub 2/-CuI-HI cell with virtually total stability. Further, the extreme sensitive of the CuInSe/sub 2/ surface to the electrochemical environment was advantageously used to generate a series of semiconducting compounds, including two potential window materials, CuISe/sub 3/ and CuIn/sub 2/ISe/sub 3/.

• OSTI ID: 6497746
• Journal Information: J. Electrochem. Soc.; (United States), Vol. 135:7
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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