Nanostructured Inorganic Solar Cells

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.