Development of ZnO nanowire based CdTe thin film solar cells

Major, Jonathan D.; Tena-Zaera, Ramon; Azaceta, Eneko; Bowen, L.; Durose, K.

Abstract

This work reports on the development of CdTe thin film solar cells grown on ZnO nanowire arrays. The focus was placed on utilising ZnO nanowire arrays as a replacement to the conventional ZnO thin film buffer layer, thereby requiring minimal alteration to the existing solar cell structure. Incorporation of nanowires was found to alter subsequent film growth and processing, with the nanowire dimensions changing device performance significantly. Shorter, ~100 nm, wires were found to produce particularly low device performance of <0.5% whilst longer wires in the range 250–2000 nm were able to produce more functional cells. Working devices of up to 9.5% efficiency were achieved through the production of “embedded tip” nanowire solar cells. Variation of the nanowires length demonstrated that the nanowires were involved in carrier recombination and that this may be the performance limiting factor.

Citation

Major, J. D., Tena-Zaera, R., Azaceta, E., Bowen, L., & Durose, K. (2017). Development of ZnO nanowire based CdTe thin film solar cells. Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, 160, 107-115. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solmat.2016.10.024

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Oct 9, 2016
• Online Publication Date: Oct 24, 2016
• Publication Date: Feb 1, 2017
• Deposit Date: Jul 14, 2017
• Publicly Available Date: Jul 14, 2017
• Journal: Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells
• Print ISSN: 0927-0248
• Electronic ISSN: 1879-3398
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 160
• Pages: 107-115
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solmat.2016.10.024
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1355018