A Novel Buffering Technique for Aqueous Processing of Zinc Oxide Nanostructures and Interfaces, and Corresponding Improvement of Electrodeposited ZnO‐Cu<sub>2</sub>O Photovoltaics

Musselman, Kevin P.; Marin, Andrew; Wisnet, Andreas; Scheu, Christina; MacManus‐Driscoll, Judith L.; Schmidt‐Mende, Lukas

doi:10.1002/adfm.201001956

Cited by 125 publications

(122 citation statements)

References 41 publications

(59 reference statements)

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“…Their reported efficiencies, however, are still less than that of planar equivalents [129] such that optimization of the nanostructure geometry and materials properties is required. In recent work, it was demonstrated that care must be taken when processing ZnO nanostructures in aqueous solutions, and a novel buffering method was developed to improve the properties of the electrochemically synthesized Cu 2 O-ZnO interface [130].…”

Section: Performance Of Ultra-low-cost Nanostructured Inorganic Solarmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nanostructured Inorganic Solar Cells

Musselman¹,

Schmidt‐Mende²

2011

Green

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Abstract. Recent progress in the development of nanostructured inorganic solar cells is reviewed. Nanostructuring of inorganic solar cells offers the possibility of reducing the cost of photovoltaics by allowing smaller amounts of lowergrade photovoltaic semiconductors to be used. Various fabrication methods used to nanostructure traditional photovoltaic semiconductors are detailed and the performance of resulting devices is discussed. The synthesis of solar cells by solution-based methods using less traditional, abundant materials is identified as a promising route to widescale photovoltaic electricity generation, and nanostructured solar cell geometries are highlighted as essential in this approach. Templating and self-assembling methods used to produce appropriate low-cost nanostructures from solutions are detailed, and the performance of preliminary ultra-lowcost cells made with these structures is reviewed.Keywords. Photovoltaic, nanostructured, inorganic. PACS® (2010). 81.07.-b, 88.40.hj, 88.40.hm. Why Nanostructure? An Introduction to the TopicIt has been predicted that the world's annual energy consumption will grow from its 2009 level of around 15 terawatt-years (TWyr) to as much as 30 TWyr by 2050 [1,2]. With more than 100,000 TW of solar power striking the earth at anytime, photovoltaic technology has long been regarded as an integral part of the solution to the world's energy problems [2,3]. Yet, the high cost of traditional photovoltaic technologies has prevented them from displacing a meaningful fraction of the electricity we derive from fossil fuel sources. Fortunately, the prospects for inexpensive photovoltaic electricity generation are improving. In recent years much research has focused on reducing the price, or cost per watt, of photovoltaic cells. In particular, the emergence of fabrication and characterization techniques on the nanometer scale (nanotechnology) has enabled new strategies to harness the sun's power in a cost-effective way. In this review, the manner in which nanotechnology is being used to improve the cost-performance balance of photovoltaic cells composed of inorganic semiconductors will be discussed. The basics of solar cell operation will be briefly explained and traditional solar cells composed of expensive, highly-crystalline inorganic semiconductors will be summarized. Next, we will explain how controlling the morphology of the semiconductors on the scale of hundreds of nanometres or less can improve the collection of electricity-generating charges from the cells, reducing their stringent materials requirements and permitting cheaper fabrication. Various techniques for fabricating nanostructures of traditional photovoltaic semiconductors will be detailed and the performance of state of the art nanostructured inorganic solar cells will be reported. A discussion will follow, in which the availability of traditional photovoltaic semiconductors and the methods for producing relevant nanostructures will be evaluated in the context of whether truly inexpensive solar cells can...

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Section: Performance Of Ultra-low-cost Nanostructured Inorganic Solarmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nanostructured Inorganic Solar Cells

Musselman¹,

Schmidt‐Mende²

2011

Green

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“…6(a). The arcs are compressed because of the inhomogeneity of the electrical properties of the measured interface [15,35]. The shape and size of the compressed semicircle are related to the photoinjected electron transport in the Cu NWs/Cu 2 O film or the back reaction at the Cu NWs/Cu 2 O-electrolyte interface, and the smaller semicircle represents the lower charge-transport resistance.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Novel fabrication of copper nanowire/cuprous oxidebased semiconductor-liquid junction solar cells

Zhai

Wang

et al. 2015

Nano Res.

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A Cu nanowire (NW)/cuprous oxide (Cu 2 O)-based semiconductor-liquid junction solar cell with a greatly enhanced efficiency and reduced cost was assembled. The Cu NWs function as a transparent electrode as well as part of the Cu NWs/ Cu 2 O coaxial structures, which remarkably benefit the charge separation. The best solar cell reached a conversion efficiency as high as 1.92% under a simulated AM1.5G illumination, which is 106 times higher than that of cells based on fluorine-doped tin oxide and Cu 2 O.

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“…At this point, the current reaches a local minimum (4). At the end of the anodization process, the current rapidly increases, accompanied by vigorous gas bubbles (5).…”

Section: Aao Template-figuresmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Nanowire arrays have attracted much attention in photovoltaic devices, [1][2][3][4] sensing, 5,6 plasmonics, 7 surface enhanced Raman scattering, 8 high density data storage, 9 photocatalysts, 10 and nanobiotechnology, 11 due to their unique electrical, optical, magnetic, and chemical properties which are different from those in the bulk state. In photovoltaics nanowire arrays are of particular interest for costeffective organic and hybrid solar cells, whose near-optimal architecture is proposed to consist of arrays of nanostructures (approximately 200 nm long).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Uniform Large-Area Free-Standing Silver Nanowire Arrays on Transparent Conducting Substrates

Feng

Kim

Nemitz

et al. 2016

J. Electrochem. Soc.

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Arrays of silver nanowires have received increasing attention in a variety of applications such as surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), plasmonic biosensing and electrode for photoelectric devices. However, until now, large scale fabrication of device-suitable silver nanowire arrays on supporting substrates has seen very limited success. Here we show the synthesis of free-standing silver nanowire arrays on indium-tin oxide (ITO) coated glass by pulsed electrodeposition into anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) templates. We use an in situ oxygen plasma cleaning process and a sputtered Ti layer to enhance the adhesion between the template and ITO glass. An ultrathin gold layer (2 nm) is deposited as a nucleation layer for the electrodeposition of silver. An unprecedented high level of uniformity and control of the nanowire diameter, spacing and length has been achieved. In photovoltaics nanowire arrays are of particular interest for costeffective organic and hybrid solar cells, whose near-optimal architecture is proposed to consist of arrays of nanostructures (approximately 200 nm long).12,13 The major advantage to using nanowire arrays is the enhancement of the charge collection due to the high charge carrier mobility in the metallic and some semiconductor nanowires. 13,14 However, due to the huge junction area, most semiconductor nanowire solar cells face limitations in device performance due to charge recombination across material interfaces, 13,14 leading to poor solar cell performance. Many research groups have tried to address this issue by developing metal oxide core-shell nanowire arrays. [15][16][17] In this work, a conductive metal oxide core (e.g. ZnO) is coated with a shell layer with an offset conduction band (e.g. TiO 2 , Al 2 O 3 ) in order to further increase distance between electron-hole pairs while simultaneously promoting charge extraction along the axis of the nanowire. This phenomenon was further employed in doped TiO 2 core-shell wires to amplify the electron mobility in the core of the wire without forming a recombination center along the internal interface.18 However, to ultimately enhance the performance of organic solar cells, a hybrid core-shell nanostructure with enhanced charge mobilities could provide an optimal electrode, e.g. a Ag nanowire with an inorganic shell layer. Additionally, these wires promote field amplification via plasmonic resonance as well as acting as a light scatterer, 19 leading to an increase in absorption in the surrounding active layers of the organic solar cells.For our approach, we use an industrially-applicable method for producing silver nanowires on a large area via filling anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) templates using electrodeposition. AAO was first introduced as a self-organizing mesoporous structure by Keller et al. in 1953. 20 Much research was later conducted to improve the formation and to fabricate AAO pores with various pore distances and diameters using thick (∼ mm) bulk Al foils. 21 Recently, it has been shown that the production of AAO templates ...

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A Novel Buffering Technique for Aqueous Processing of Zinc Oxide Nanostructures and Interfaces, and Corresponding Improvement of Electrodeposited ZnO‐Cu₂O Photovoltaics

Cited by 125 publications

References 41 publications

Nanostructured Inorganic Solar Cells

Nanostructured Inorganic Solar Cells

Novel fabrication of copper nanowire/cuprous oxidebased semiconductor-liquid junction solar cells

Uniform Large-Area Free-Standing Silver Nanowire Arrays on Transparent Conducting Substrates

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A Novel Buffering Technique for Aqueous Processing of Zinc Oxide Nanostructures and Interfaces, and Corresponding Improvement of Electrodeposited ZnO‐Cu2O Photovoltaics

Cited by 125 publications

References 41 publications

Nanostructured Inorganic Solar Cells

Nanostructured Inorganic Solar Cells

Novel fabrication of copper nanowire/cuprous oxidebased semiconductor-liquid junction solar cells

Uniform Large-Area Free-Standing Silver Nanowire Arrays on Transparent Conducting Substrates

Contact Info

Product

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A Novel Buffering Technique for Aqueous Processing of Zinc Oxide Nanostructures and Interfaces, and Corresponding Improvement of Electrodeposited ZnO‐Cu₂O Photovoltaics