Photovoltaic properties of Cu<sub>2</sub>O-based heterojunction solar cells using n-type oxide semiconductor nano thin films prepared by low damage magnetron sputtering method

Toshihiro Miyata; Kyosuke Watanabe; Hiroki Tokunaga; Tadatsugu Minami

doi:10.1088/1674-4926/40/3/032701

J. Semicond. > 2019, Volume 40 > Issue 3 > 032701

ARTICLES

Photovoltaic properties of Cu₂O-based heterojunction solar cells using n-type oxide semiconductor nano thin films prepared by low damage magnetron sputtering method

Toshihiro Miyata, Kyosuke Watanabe, Hiroki Tokunaga and Tadatsugu Minami

+ Author Affiliations

Corresponding author: Toshihiro Miyata, email: tmiyata@neptune.kanazawa-it.ac.jp

DOI: 10.1088/1674-4926/40/3/032701

Abstract: We improved the photovoltaic properties of Cu₂O-based heterojunction solar cells using n-type oxide semiconductor thin films prepared by a sputtering apparatus with our newly developed multi-chamber system. We also obtained the highest efficiency (3.21%) in an AZO/p-Cu₂O heterojunction solar cell prepared with optimized pre-sputtering conditions using our newly developed multi-chamber sputtering system. This value achieves the same or higher characteristics than AZO/Cu₂O solar cells with a similar structure prepared by the pulse laser deposition method.

Key words: Cu₂O, AZO, solar cell, oxide thin film, magnetron sputtering

References

[1]	N Asima, K Sopiana, S Ahmadib, et al. A review on the role of materials science in solar cells. Renew Sustain Energy Rev, 2012, 16: 5834. doi: 10.1016/j.rser.2012.06.004
[2]	A E Rakhshani. Preparation, characteristics and photovoltaic properties of cuprous oxide – a review. Solid-State Electron, 1986, 29: 7. doi: 10.1016/0038-1101(86)90191-7
[3]	G P Pollack. D Trivichi. Photoelectric properties of cuprous oxide. J Appl Phys, 1975, 46: 163. doi: 10.1063/1.321312
[4]	J Herion, E A Niekisch, G Scharl. Investigation of metal oxide/cuprous oxide heterojunction solar cells. Sol Energy Mater, 1980, 4: 101. doi: 10.1016/0165-1633(80)90022-2
[5]	L Papadimitriou, N A Economou, D Trivich. Heterojunction solar cells on cuprous oxide. Sol Cells, 1981, 3: 73. doi: 10.1016/0379-6787(81)90084-3
[6]	L C Olsen, F W Addis, W Miller. Experimental and theoretical studies of Cu₂O solar cells. Sol Cells, 1982, 7: 247. doi: 10.1016/0379-6787(82)90050-3
[7]	W M Sears, E Fortin, J B Webb. Indium tin oxide/Cu₂O photovoltaic cells. Thin Solid Films, 1983,103: 303. doi: 10.1016/0040-6090(83)90447-9
[8]	B P Rai. Cu₂O solar cells: A review. Sol Cells, 1988, 25: 265. doi: 10.1016/0379-6787(88)90065-8
[9]	R N Briskman. A study of electrodeposited cuprous oxide photovoltaic cells. Sol Energy Mater Sol Cells, 1992, 27: 361. doi: 10.1016/0927-0248(92)90097-9
[10]	T Minami, Y Nishi, T Miyata, et al. High-efficiency oxide solar cells with ZnO/Cu₂O heterojunction fabricated on thermally oxidized Cu₂O sheets. Appl Phys Express, 2011, 4: 062301. doi: 10.1143/APEX.4.062301
[11]	Y S Lee, J Heo, S C Siah, et al. Ultrathin amorphous zinc-tin-oxide buffer layer for enhancing heterojunction interface quality in metal-oxide solar cells. Energy Environ Sci, 2013, 6: 2112. doi: 10.1039/c3ee24461j
[12]	T Minami, Y Nishi, T Miyata. High-efficiency Cu₂O-based heterojunction solar cells fabricated using a Ga₂O₃ thin film as n-type layer. Appl Phys Express, 2013, 6: 044101. doi: 10.7567/APEX.6.044101
[13]	S W Lee, Y S Lee, J Heo, et al. Improved Cu₂O-based solar cells using atomic layer deposition to control the Cu oxidation state at the p-n junction. Adv Energy Mater, 2014, 4: 1301916. doi: 10.1002/aenm.201301916
[14]	Y S Lee, D Chua, R E Brandt, et al. Atomic layer deposited gallium oxide buffer layer enables 1.2 V open-circuit voltage in cuprous oxide solar cells. Adv Mater, 2014, 26: 4704. doi: 10.1002/adma.v26.27
[15]	T Minami, Y Nishi, T Miyata. Heterojunction solar cell with 6% efficiency based on an n-type aluminum–gallium–oxide thin film and p-type sodium-doped Cu₂O sheet. Appl Phys Express, 2015, 8: 022301. doi: 10.7567/APEX.8.022301
[16]	Y Ievskaya, R L Z Hoye, A Sadhanala, et al. Fabrication of ZnO/Cu₂O heterojunctions in atmospheric conditions: Improved interface quality and solar cell performanceSol. Energy Mater Sol Cells, 2015, 135: 43. doi: 10.1016/j.solmat.2014.09.018
[17]	R L Z Hoye, R E Brandt, Y Ievskaya, et al. Perspective: Maintaining surface-phase purity is key to efficient open air fabricated cuprous oxide solar cells. APL Mater, 2015, 3: 020901. doi: 10.1063/1.4913442
[18]	T Minami, T Miyata, Y Nishi. Efficiency improvement of Cu₂O-based heterojunction solar cells fabricated using thermally oxidized copper sheets. Thin Solid Films, 2014, 559: 105. doi: 10.1016/j.tsf.2013.11.026
[19]	T Minami, T Miyata, Y Nishi. Cu₂O-based heterojunction solar cells with an Al-doped ZnO/oxide semiconductor/thermally oxidized Cu₂O sheet structure. Sol Energy, 2014, 105: 206. doi: 10.1016/j.solener.2014.03.036
[20]	T Minami, Y Nishi, T Miyata. Cu₂O-based solar cells using oxide semiconductors. J Semicond, 2016, 37: 014002. doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/37/1/014002
[21]	Nishi Y, Miyata T, Nomoto J, et al. High-efficiency Cu₂O-based heterojunction solar cells fabricated on thermally oxidized copper sheet. Conf Rec 37th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conf, 2011, 266
[22]	T. Minami, Y. Nishi, and T. Miyata. Impact of incorporating sodium into polycrystalline p-type Cu₂O for heterojunction solar cell applications. Appl Phys Lett, 2014, 105: 212104. doi: 10.1063/1.4902879

Fig. 1. (Color online) Cross-sectional structure of AZO/p-Cu₂O solar cell.

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Fig. 2. (Color online) Typical J–V characteristics for AZO/p-Cu₂O heterojunction solar cells prepared with different target-Cu₂O sheet distances.

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Fig. 3. (Color online) Conversion efficiency (η), fill factor (FF), V_OC, and J_SC as functions of target-Cu₂O sheet distance for AZO/p-Cu₂O heterojunction solar cells.

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Fig. 4. (Color online) Typical J–V characteristics for AZO/p-Cu₂O heterojunction solar cells prepared with different sputtering voltages: 380 and 700 V.

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Fig. 5. (Color online) J–V characteristics measured under dark conditions obtained in AZO/p-Cu₂O heterojunction solar cell shown in Fig. 4.

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Fig. 6. (Color online) Typical J–V characteristics as a function of pre-sputtering time for AZO/p-Cu₂O heterojunction solar cells.

DownLoad: Full-Size Img PowerPoint

[1]	N Asima, K Sopiana, S Ahmadib, et al. A review on the role of materials science in solar cells. Renew Sustain Energy Rev, 2012, 16: 5834. doi: 10.1016/j.rser.2012.06.004
[2]	A E Rakhshani. Preparation, characteristics and photovoltaic properties of cuprous oxide – a review. Solid-State Electron, 1986, 29: 7. doi: 10.1016/0038-1101(86)90191-7
[3]	G P Pollack. D Trivichi. Photoelectric properties of cuprous oxide. J Appl Phys, 1975, 46: 163. doi: 10.1063/1.321312
[4]	J Herion, E A Niekisch, G Scharl. Investigation of metal oxide/cuprous oxide heterojunction solar cells. Sol Energy Mater, 1980, 4: 101. doi: 10.1016/0165-1633(80)90022-2
[5]	L Papadimitriou, N A Economou, D Trivich. Heterojunction solar cells on cuprous oxide. Sol Cells, 1981, 3: 73. doi: 10.1016/0379-6787(81)90084-3
[6]	L C Olsen, F W Addis, W Miller. Experimental and theoretical studies of Cu₂O solar cells. Sol Cells, 1982, 7: 247. doi: 10.1016/0379-6787(82)90050-3
[7]	W M Sears, E Fortin, J B Webb. Indium tin oxide/Cu₂O photovoltaic cells. Thin Solid Films, 1983,103: 303. doi: 10.1016/0040-6090(83)90447-9
[8]	B P Rai. Cu₂O solar cells: A review. Sol Cells, 1988, 25: 265. doi: 10.1016/0379-6787(88)90065-8
[9]	R N Briskman. A study of electrodeposited cuprous oxide photovoltaic cells. Sol Energy Mater Sol Cells, 1992, 27: 361. doi: 10.1016/0927-0248(92)90097-9
[10]	T Minami, Y Nishi, T Miyata, et al. High-efficiency oxide solar cells with ZnO/Cu₂O heterojunction fabricated on thermally oxidized Cu₂O sheets. Appl Phys Express, 2011, 4: 062301. doi: 10.1143/APEX.4.062301
[11]	Y S Lee, J Heo, S C Siah, et al. Ultrathin amorphous zinc-tin-oxide buffer layer for enhancing heterojunction interface quality in metal-oxide solar cells. Energy Environ Sci, 2013, 6: 2112. doi: 10.1039/c3ee24461j
[12]	T Minami, Y Nishi, T Miyata. High-efficiency Cu₂O-based heterojunction solar cells fabricated using a Ga₂O₃ thin film as n-type layer. Appl Phys Express, 2013, 6: 044101. doi: 10.7567/APEX.6.044101
[13]	S W Lee, Y S Lee, J Heo, et al. Improved Cu₂O-based solar cells using atomic layer deposition to control the Cu oxidation state at the p-n junction. Adv Energy Mater, 2014, 4: 1301916. doi: 10.1002/aenm.201301916
[14]	Y S Lee, D Chua, R E Brandt, et al. Atomic layer deposited gallium oxide buffer layer enables 1.2 V open-circuit voltage in cuprous oxide solar cells. Adv Mater, 2014, 26: 4704. doi: 10.1002/adma.v26.27
[15]	T Minami, Y Nishi, T Miyata. Heterojunction solar cell with 6% efficiency based on an n-type aluminum–gallium–oxide thin film and p-type sodium-doped Cu₂O sheet. Appl Phys Express, 2015, 8: 022301. doi: 10.7567/APEX.8.022301
[16]	Y Ievskaya, R L Z Hoye, A Sadhanala, et al. Fabrication of ZnO/Cu₂O heterojunctions in atmospheric conditions: Improved interface quality and solar cell performanceSol. Energy Mater Sol Cells, 2015, 135: 43. doi: 10.1016/j.solmat.2014.09.018
[17]	R L Z Hoye, R E Brandt, Y Ievskaya, et al. Perspective: Maintaining surface-phase purity is key to efficient open air fabricated cuprous oxide solar cells. APL Mater, 2015, 3: 020901. doi: 10.1063/1.4913442
[18]	T Minami, T Miyata, Y Nishi. Efficiency improvement of Cu₂O-based heterojunction solar cells fabricated using thermally oxidized copper sheets. Thin Solid Films, 2014, 559: 105. doi: 10.1016/j.tsf.2013.11.026
[19]	T Minami, T Miyata, Y Nishi. Cu₂O-based heterojunction solar cells with an Al-doped ZnO/oxide semiconductor/thermally oxidized Cu₂O sheet structure. Sol Energy, 2014, 105: 206. doi: 10.1016/j.solener.2014.03.036
[20]	T Minami, Y Nishi, T Miyata. Cu₂O-based solar cells using oxide semiconductors. J Semicond, 2016, 37: 014002. doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/37/1/014002
[21]	Nishi Y, Miyata T, Nomoto J, et al. High-efficiency Cu₂O-based heterojunction solar cells fabricated on thermally oxidized copper sheet. Conf Rec 37th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conf, 2011, 266
[22]	T. Minami, Y. Nishi, and T. Miyata. Impact of incorporating sodium into polycrystalline p-type Cu₂O for heterojunction solar cell applications. Appl Phys Lett, 2014, 105: 212104. doi: 10.1063/1.4902879

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Received: 15 June 2018 Revised: 29 September 2018 Online: Accepted Manuscript: 11 January 2019Uncorrected proof: 11 January 2019Published: 01 March 2019

Article Navigation > Journal of Semiconductors > 2019 > 40(3): 032701

Toshihiro Miyata, Kyosuke Watanabe, Hiroki Tokunaga, Tadatsugu Minami. Photovoltaic properties of Cu2O-based heterojunction solar cells using n-type oxide semiconductor nano thin films prepared by low damage magnetron sputtering method[J]. Journal of Semiconductors, 2019, 40(3): 032701. doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/40/3/032701 ****T Miyata, K Watanabe, H Tokunaga, T Minami, Photovoltaic properties of Cu2O-based heterojunction solar cells using n-type oxide semiconductor nano thin films prepared by low damage magnetron sputtering method[J]. J. Semicond., 2019, 40(3): 032701. doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/40/3/032701.

Citation:

Toshihiro Miyata, Kyosuke Watanabe, Hiroki Tokunaga, Tadatsugu Minami. Photovoltaic properties of Cu₂O-based heterojunction solar cells using n-type oxide semiconductor nano thin films prepared by low damage magnetron sputtering method[J]. Journal of Semiconductors, 2019, 40(3): 032701. doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/40/3/032701 ****

T Miyata, K Watanabe, H Tokunaga, T Minami, Photovoltaic properties of Cu2O-based heterojunction solar cells using n-type oxide semiconductor nano thin films prepared by low damage magnetron sputtering method[J]. J. Semicond., 2019, 40(3): 032701. doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/40/3/032701.

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Photovoltaic properties of Cu₂O-based heterojunction solar cells using n-type oxide semiconductor nano thin films prepared by low damage magnetron sputtering method

DOI: 10.1088/1674-4926/40/3/032701

Optoelectronic Device System R&D Center, Kanazawa Institute of Technology, 7-1 Nonoichi, Ishikawa 921-8501, Japan

More Information

Corresponding author: email: tmiyata@neptune.kanazawa-it.ac.jp
Received Date: 2018-06-15
Revised Date: 2018-09-29
Published Date: 2019-03-01

Abstract

Abstract

We improved the photovoltaic properties of Cu₂O-based heterojunction solar cells using n-type oxide semiconductor thin films prepared by a sputtering apparatus with our newly developed multi-chamber system. We also obtained the highest efficiency (3.21%) in an AZO/p-Cu₂O heterojunction solar cell prepared with optimized pre-sputtering conditions using our newly developed multi-chamber sputtering system. This value achieves the same or higher characteristics than AZO/Cu₂O solar cells with a similar structure prepared by the pulse laser deposition method.
- Cu₂O,
- AZO,
- solar cell,
- oxide thin film,
- magnetron sputtering

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References(22)

References

[1]	N Asima, K Sopiana, S Ahmadib, et al. A review on the role of materials science in solar cells. Renew Sustain Energy Rev, 2012, 16: 5834. doi: 10.1016/j.rser.2012.06.004
[2]	A E Rakhshani. Preparation, characteristics and photovoltaic properties of cuprous oxide – a review. Solid-State Electron, 1986, 29: 7. doi: 10.1016/0038-1101(86)90191-7
[3]	G P Pollack. D Trivichi. Photoelectric properties of cuprous oxide. J Appl Phys, 1975, 46: 163. doi: 10.1063/1.321312
[4]	J Herion, E A Niekisch, G Scharl. Investigation of metal oxide/cuprous oxide heterojunction solar cells. Sol Energy Mater, 1980, 4: 101. doi: 10.1016/0165-1633(80)90022-2
[5]	L Papadimitriou, N A Economou, D Trivich. Heterojunction solar cells on cuprous oxide. Sol Cells, 1981, 3: 73. doi: 10.1016/0379-6787(81)90084-3
[6]	L C Olsen, F W Addis, W Miller. Experimental and theoretical studies of Cu₂O solar cells. Sol Cells, 1982, 7: 247. doi: 10.1016/0379-6787(82)90050-3
[7]	W M Sears, E Fortin, J B Webb. Indium tin oxide/Cu₂O photovoltaic cells. Thin Solid Films, 1983,103: 303. doi: 10.1016/0040-6090(83)90447-9
[8]	B P Rai. Cu₂O solar cells: A review. Sol Cells, 1988, 25: 265. doi: 10.1016/0379-6787(88)90065-8
[9]	R N Briskman. A study of electrodeposited cuprous oxide photovoltaic cells. Sol Energy Mater Sol Cells, 1992, 27: 361. doi: 10.1016/0927-0248(92)90097-9
[10]	T Minami, Y Nishi, T Miyata, et al. High-efficiency oxide solar cells with ZnO/Cu₂O heterojunction fabricated on thermally oxidized Cu₂O sheets. Appl Phys Express, 2011, 4: 062301. doi: 10.1143/APEX.4.062301
[11]	Y S Lee, J Heo, S C Siah, et al. Ultrathin amorphous zinc-tin-oxide buffer layer for enhancing heterojunction interface quality in metal-oxide solar cells. Energy Environ Sci, 2013, 6: 2112. doi: 10.1039/c3ee24461j
[12]	T Minami, Y Nishi, T Miyata. High-efficiency Cu₂O-based heterojunction solar cells fabricated using a Ga₂O₃ thin film as n-type layer. Appl Phys Express, 2013, 6: 044101. doi: 10.7567/APEX.6.044101
[13]	S W Lee, Y S Lee, J Heo, et al. Improved Cu₂O-based solar cells using atomic layer deposition to control the Cu oxidation state at the p-n junction. Adv Energy Mater, 2014, 4: 1301916. doi: 10.1002/aenm.201301916
[14]	Y S Lee, D Chua, R E Brandt, et al. Atomic layer deposited gallium oxide buffer layer enables 1.2 V open-circuit voltage in cuprous oxide solar cells. Adv Mater, 2014, 26: 4704. doi: 10.1002/adma.v26.27
[15]	T Minami, Y Nishi, T Miyata. Heterojunction solar cell with 6% efficiency based on an n-type aluminum–gallium–oxide thin film and p-type sodium-doped Cu₂O sheet. Appl Phys Express, 2015, 8: 022301. doi: 10.7567/APEX.8.022301
[16]	Y Ievskaya, R L Z Hoye, A Sadhanala, et al. Fabrication of ZnO/Cu₂O heterojunctions in atmospheric conditions: Improved interface quality and solar cell performanceSol. Energy Mater Sol Cells, 2015, 135: 43. doi: 10.1016/j.solmat.2014.09.018
[17]	R L Z Hoye, R E Brandt, Y Ievskaya, et al. Perspective: Maintaining surface-phase purity is key to efficient open air fabricated cuprous oxide solar cells. APL Mater, 2015, 3: 020901. doi: 10.1063/1.4913442
[18]	T Minami, T Miyata, Y Nishi. Efficiency improvement of Cu₂O-based heterojunction solar cells fabricated using thermally oxidized copper sheets. Thin Solid Films, 2014, 559: 105. doi: 10.1016/j.tsf.2013.11.026
[19]	T Minami, T Miyata, Y Nishi. Cu₂O-based heterojunction solar cells with an Al-doped ZnO/oxide semiconductor/thermally oxidized Cu₂O sheet structure. Sol Energy, 2014, 105: 206. doi: 10.1016/j.solener.2014.03.036
[20]	T Minami, Y Nishi, T Miyata. Cu₂O-based solar cells using oxide semiconductors. J Semicond, 2016, 37: 014002. doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/37/1/014002
[21]	Nishi Y, Miyata T, Nomoto J, et al. High-efficiency Cu₂O-based heterojunction solar cells fabricated on thermally oxidized copper sheet. Conf Rec 37th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conf, 2011, 266
[22]	T. Minami, Y. Nishi, and T. Miyata. Impact of incorporating sodium into polycrystalline p-type Cu₂O for heterojunction solar cell applications. Appl Phys Lett, 2014, 105: 212104. doi: 10.1063/1.4902879

Photovoltaic properties of Cu₂O-based heterojunction solar cells using n-type oxide semiconductor nano thin films prepared by low damage magnetron sputtering method

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Photovoltaic properties of Cu₂O-based heterojunction solar cells using n-type oxide semiconductor nano thin films prepared by low damage magnetron sputtering method

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Photovoltaic properties of Cu2O-based heterojunction solar cells using n-type oxide semiconductor nano thin films prepared by low damage magnetron sputtering method

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Photovoltaic properties of Cu₂O-based heterojunction solar cells using n-type oxide semiconductor nano thin films prepared by low damage magnetron sputtering method

Photovoltaic properties of Cu₂O-based heterojunction solar cells using n-type oxide semiconductor nano thin films prepared by low damage magnetron sputtering method