Improving Carbon Nanotube‐Silicon Solar Cells by Solution Processable Metal Chlorides. Issue 8 (31st May 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wu, Huaisheng; Zhao, Xuewei; Sun, Yuping; Yang, Liusi; Zou, Mingchu; Zhang, Hui; Wu, Yizeng; Dai, Linxiu; Shang, Yuanyuan; Cao, Anyuan
• Is Part Of: Solar RRL. Volume 3:Issue 8(2019)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2019-05-31
• Subjects: antireflection -- carbon nanotube-silicon solar cell -- doping -- metal chlorides -- standard electrode potential; Solar energy -- Periodicals; Photovoltaic power generation -- Periodicals; Solar energy -- Research -- Periodicals; Photovoltaic power generation -- Research -- Periodicals; Periodicals; 333.7923
• DOI: 10.1002/solr.201900147
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2367-198X

Abstract

Abstract : Carbon nanotube‐silicon (CNT‐Si) solar cells have the potential of being an alternative to the expensive crystal Si solar cells; however, there are critical limitations, such as the relatively low efficiency, instability, and lack of systematic improvement techniques. Herein, by investigating 17 solution processable, nonprecious metal chlorides, it is shown that appropriate chlorides can significantly improve the behavior of CNT‐Si solar cells individually or as mixtures. The results reveal a close relationship between the standard electrode potential of redox couples and the open‐circuit voltage ( V OC ) of solar cells, in which high V OC values are usually generated from chlorides with larger potentials. Detailed studies on SnCl2 and a mixture of FeCl3 /ZrCl4 reveal mechanisms including doping of CNTs (increase in work function) and acting as antireflection layers, resulting in a substantial increase of both V OC and short‐circuit current density ( J SC ). As a result, stable power conversion efficiencies of 14.8% and 16.2% in CNT‐Si solar cells are achieved by simply spin‐coating SnCl2 or ZrCl4 /FeCl3, respectively. The family of metal chlorides provide many opportunities for overcoming limitations and developing high‐performance CNT‐Si solar cells toward practical applications. Abstract : The performance of carbon nanotube‐silicon solar cells is significantly improved by using solution‐processable metal chlorides, resulting in stable cell efficiencies of 14.8% and 16.2% by spin‐coating SnCl2 or ZrCl4 /FeCl3, respectively, providing opportunities for overcoming limitations in this type of solar cells toward practical applications.