A new metal transfer process for van der Waals contacts to vertical Schottky-junction transition metal dichalcogenide photovoltaics

Went, Cora M.; Wong, Joeson; Jahelka, Phillip R.; Kelzenberg, Michael; Biswas, Souvik; Hunt, Matthew S.; Carbone, Abigail; Atwater, Harry A.

doi:10.1126/sciadv.aax6061

Title: A new metal transfer process for van der Waals contacts to vertical Schottky-junction transition metal dichalcogenide photovoltaics

Journal Article · 19 December 2019 · Science Advances

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aax6061 · OSTI ID:1626028

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^[2]; Biswas, Souvik ^[2];

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California Inst. of Technology (CalTech), Pasadena, CA (United States); DOE/OSTI
California Inst. of Technology (CalTech), Pasadena, CA (United States)
North Carolina State Univ., Raleigh, NC (United States)

Two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides are promising candidates for ultrathin optoelectronic devices due to their high absorption coefficients and intrinsically passivated surfaces. To maintain these near-perfect surfaces, recent research has focused on fabricating contacts that limit Fermi-level pinning at the metal-semiconductor interface. Here, we develop a new, simple procedure for transferring metal contacts that does not require aligned lithography. Using this technique, we fabricate vertical Schottky-junction WS₂ solar cells, with Ag and Au as asymmetric work function contacts. Under laser illumination, we observe rectifying behavior and open-circuit voltage above 500 mV in devices with transferred contacts, in contrast to resistive behavior and open-circuit voltage below 15 mV in devices with evaporated contacts. One-sun measurements and device simulation results indicate that this metal transfer process could enable high specific power vertical Schottky-junction transition metal dichalcogenide photovoltaics, and we anticipate that this technique will lead to advances for two-dimensional devices more broadly.

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Research Organization:: Stanford Univ., CA (United States); Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRC) (United States). Photonics at Thermodynamic Limits (PTL)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC); National Science Foundation (NSF); Resnick Sustainability Institute

Grant/Contract Number:: SC0019140

OSTI ID:: 1626028

Journal Information:: Science Advances, Journal Name: Science Advances Journal Issue: 12 Vol. 5; ISSN 2375-2548

Publisher:: AAASCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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