Au-Cu{sub 2}O core-shell nanowire photovoltaics

Journal Article · Mon Jan 12 00:00:00 EST 2015 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4905652· OSTI ID:22399136

Oener, S. Z.; Mann, S. A.; Sciacca, B.; Sfiligoj, C.; Hoang, J.

Semiconductor nanowires are among the most promising candidates for next generation photovoltaics. This is due to their outstanding optical and electrical properties which provide large optical cross sections while simultaneously decoupling the photon absorption and charge carrier extraction length scales. These effects relax the requirements for both the minority carrier diffusion length and the amount of semiconductor needed. Metal-semiconductor core-shell nanowires have previously been predicted to show even better optical absorption than solid semiconductor nanowires and offer the additional advantage of a local metal core contact. Here, we fabricate and analyze such a geometry using a single Au-Cu{sub 2}O core-shell nanowire photovoltaic cell as a model system. Spatially resolved photocurrent maps reveal that although the minority carrier diffusion length in the Cu{sub 2}O shell is less than 1 μm, the radial contact geometry with the incorporated metal electrode still allows for photogenerated carrier collection along an entire nanowire. Current-voltage measurements yield an open-circuit voltage of 600 mV under laser illumination and a dark diode turn-on voltage of 1 V. This study suggests the metal-semiconductor core-shell nanowire concept could be extended to low-cost, large-scale photovoltaic devices, utilizing for example, metal nanowire electrode grids coated with epitaxially grown semiconductor shells.

• OSTI ID: 22399136
• Journal Information: Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 106, Issue 2; Other Information: (c) 2015 Author(s); Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0003-6951
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY
CHARGE CARRIERS
COPPER OXIDES
DECOUPLING
DIFFUSION LENGTH
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
EPITAXY
EXTRACTION
GOLD
ILLUMINANCE
LASER RADIATION
NANOWIRES
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
PHOTOCURRENTS
PHOTONS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC EFFECT
SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS
SOLIDS