Photovoltaic Properties of ZnO Films Co-Doped with Mn and La to Enhance Solar Cell Efficiency

Abstract

In the present investigation, ZnO films co-doped with Mn and La were synthesized by the sol–gel technique. XRD analysis revealed that ZnO had a hexagonal structure. Mixed hexagonal and cubic phases appeared in ZnO containing Mn (1%) and La (1.5%). The grain size, d-spacing, unit cell, lattice parameters, atomic packing fraction, volume, strain, crystallinity, and bond length of co-doped ZnO films were determined as a function of doped ion contents. Through UV analysis, it was found that pristine ZnO had Eg = 3.5 eV, and it decreased when increasing the doping concentration, reaching the minimum value for the sample with 1% Mn and 1% La. The optical parameters of the films, such as absorption, transmittance, dielectric constants, and refractive index, were also analyzed. DSSCs were fabricated using the prepared ZnO films. For pure ZnO film, the values were: efficiency = 0.69%, current density = 2.5 mAcm−2, and open-circuit voltage = 0.56 V. When ZnO was co-doped with Mn and La, the efficiency increased significantly. DSSCs with a ZnO photoanode co-doped with 1% Mn and 1% La exhibited maximum values of Jsc = 4.28 mAcm−2, Voc = 0.6 V, and efficiency = 1.89%, which is 174% better than pristine ZnO-based DSSCs. This material is good for the electrode of perovskite solar cells.

The Effect of 600 keV Ag Ion Irradiation on the Structural, Optical, and Photovoltaic Properties of MAPbBr3 Films for Perovksite Solar Cell Applications

“…In a very short amount of time, perovskites solar cells (PSCs) have attracted the attention of the photovoltaic industry by providing a solar-to-electric power conversion efficiency (PCE) rate greater than 23%. Currently, it is a potential candidate among commercially available solar cells, and nanomaterials play the main role in their efficiency [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]. Inorganic–organic hybrid perovskites of metals halides have a general formula: ABX 3 , where the A-site is composed of organic cations that usually consist of MA + (CH 3 NH 3 + ), Cs + , and FA + [(NH 2 ) 2 CH] + ions, etc.…”

Bandgap reduction and efficiency enhancement in Cs2AgBiBr6 double perovskite solar cells through gallium substitution

“…The introduction of smaller ions into the host lattice results in a peak shifting, attributed to the replacement of Ag + by Ga 3+ due to the disparity in atomic radii between Ag + (1.15 Å) and Ga 3+ (0.62 Å). 44–47 The Scherer equation given below can be utilized to calculate the grain size of the material: 48,49 …”

“…The material's E g can be ascertained by applying Tauc's formula to these absorption edges. 48,58,59 ( αhν ) 2 = B ( hν − E g )…”

Temperature Dependence on Structural Properties of Liquid Phase Synthesized ZnO

“…where d is the lattice plane spacing and h, k, l are the Miller indices. The positional or internal parameter, u which is a measure of the amount by which each atom is displaced with respect to the next along the 'c' axis is determined by equation 2 [7], [14], [16], [17]:…”