High‐Efficiency Large‐Area Carbon Nanotube‐Silicon Solar Cells. Issue 12 (26th April 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Xu, Wenjing; Wu, Shiting; Li, Xinming; Zou, Mingchu; Yang, Liusi; Zhang, Zelin; Wei, Jinquan; Hu, Song; Li, Yanhui; Cao, Anyuan
• Is Part Of: Advanced energy materials. Volume 6:Issue 12(2016)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2016-04-26
• Subjects: carbon nanotubes -- solar cells -- nanotube strips -- self‐similar electrodes; Energy harvesting -- Materials -- Periodicals; Energy conversion -- Materials -- Periodicals; Energy storage -- Materials -- Periodicals; Photovoltaics -- Periodicals; Fuel cells -- Periodicals; Thermoelectric materials -- Periodicals; 621.31
• DOI: 10.1002/aenm.201600095
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1614-6832

Abstract

Abstract : Currently studied carbon nanotube‐silicon (CNT‐Si) solar cells are based on relatively small active areas (typically <0.15 cm 2 ); increasing the active area generally leads to reduced power conversion efficiencies. This study reports CNT‐Si solar cells with active areas of more than 2 cm 2 for single cells, yet still achieving cell efficiencies of about 10%, which is the first time for CNT‐Si solar cells with an active area more than 1 cm 2 to reach the level for real applications. In this work, a controlled number of flattened highly conductive CNT strips is added, in simple arrangement, to form a CNT‐Si solar cell with CNT strips in which the middle film makes heterojunctions with Si while the top strips act as self‐similar top electrodes, like conventional metal grids. The CNT strips, directly condensed from as‐grown CNT films, not only improve the CNT‐Si junctions, but also enhance the conductivity of top electrodes without introducing contact barrier when the CNT strips are added onto the film. This property may facilitate the development of large‐area high‐performance CNT or graphene‐Si solar cells. Abstract : High‐efficiency large‐area carbon nanotube‐silicon (CNT‐Si) solar cells with active areas of more than 2 cm 2 have been achieved. Controlled number of flattened, highly conductive CNT strips are added onto large‐area CNT‐Si solar cells as self‐similar top electrodes, improving the efficiency to more than 10% with the assistance of TiO2 antireflection layer and HNO3 doping.