Transfer of ultrathin molybdenum disulfide and transparent nanomesh electrode onto silicon for efficient heterojunction solar cells. (August 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kang, Sung Bun; Kwon, Ki Chang; Choi, Kyoung Soon; Lee, Rochelle; Hong, Kootak; Suh, Jun Min; Im, Min Ji; Sanger, Amit; Choi, In Young; Kim, Soo Young; Shin, Jae Cheol; Jang, Ho Won; Choi, Kyoung Jin
• Is Part Of: Nano energy. Volume 50(2018)
• Page Start: 649
• Page End: 658
• Publication Date: 2018-08
• Subjects: Two-dimensional transition-metal dichalcogenides -- Transparent electrodes -- Heterojunction -- Large area synthesis; Nanoscience -- Periodicals; Nanotechnology -- Periodicals; Nanostructured materials -- Periodicals; Power resources -- Technological innovations -- Periodicals; Nanoscience; Nanostructured materials; Nanotechnology; Power resources -- Technological innovations; Periodicals; 621.042
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nanoen.2018.06.014
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2211-2855

Abstract

Abstract: Two-dimensional transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) are very promising for photovoltaic (PV) applications due to their excellent light absorption properties and appropriate bandgap energy, Although multifunctional applications of TMDCs in photovoltaic devices have been achieved, the photovoltaic conversion efficiency under 1 sun is still very low with small active area because of their inexpedient high sheet resistance and limitation of synthesis techniques. In this study, we demonstrate uniform synthesis of 4-in. wafer-scale MoS2 thin films by thermal decomposition of solution precursors. The solar cells are fabricated by transferring n-MoS2 thin films on p-Si substrates to form p-n heterojunctions and then transferring Au nanomeshes prepared in a novel surface treatment as transparent top electrodes onto MoS2 . The circular n-MoS2 /p-Si heterojunction solar cell exhibited a power conversion efficiency of 5.96% at a diameter of 0.3 in. and proved to be easily scalable to 1-in. diameter with 5.18% efficiency. To the best of our knowledge, the solar cells of this study are the most efficient and the largest in all types of solar cells based on TMDC reported so far. Finally, based on finite difference time-domain simulation, we proposed a strategy for implementing n-MoS2 /p-Si heterojunction solar cell with efficiency higher than 15% by introducing optimal doping control of n-MoS2 and efficient anti-reflection layers. Graphical abstract: The highest performance (5.96%), largest area (1 in.) n-MoS2/p-Si solar cells with transparent electrodes fabricated by a novel way. The transparent electrodes lowers the series resistance of the fabricated solar cells, facilitating the collection of photo-generated carriers from the junction. In our knowledge, we have achieved the highest photovoltaic performance at largest active area by using transparent nanomesh electrode among TMDC based solar cells. fx1 Highlights: The large scale, uniform (4-in.) MoS2 thin films are synthesized. High transparent, low sheet resistances electrodes are fabricated in a novel way. The efficient MoS2 based solar cells are developed by all transfer process including top electrodes. The highest, largest MoS2 p-Si/ heterojunction solar cells are demonstrated.