Fabrication and characterization of Si/transition metal oxide solar cell

Abstract

The project investigates n-Si/MoOx heterojunction solar cells based on n type crystalline silicon (c-Si) and transition metal oxide layer, MoOx, x~3, to act as the p-type layer. The n-Si/MoOx solar cells feature contacts constructed with Ti/Pd/Ag cathode and Ag anode, on the fabricated n-Si/MoOx/ITO layers. Si wafers with different n type doping concentrations ND of 10^14 – 10^17/cm3 have been used for the fabrication of the hybrid cells using a simple 7-step fabrication procedure. A highest power conversion efficiency (PCE) of ~8.66% has been obtained for a 1 x 1 cm cell for Si wafer with a doping concentration of 10^14 /cm3. The PCE of the other n-Si/MoOx solar cells with different concentrations are as follows: 7.43% for ND = 10^15/cm3, 6.83% for ND = 10^16/cm3 and 2.88% for ND = 10^17/cm3. The parameters of the solar cells such as Voc, Isc, Rs, Rp, n1, and n2 have also been deduced from the experimental JV and lnJ-V curves, and analyzed thereafter. One future improvement proposed to improve the performance of the cell is on the implementation of silver nanowire for the electrode.