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SIMON FRASER

UNIVERSITY

CANADA

M.Prasad and Ash M. Parameswaran

Paintable CUPROUS OXIDE/ZINC OXIDE Photovoltaic Device

mpa56@sfu.ca

paramesw@sfu.ca

SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING

SCIENCE

2SIMON FRASER

UNIVERSITY

CANADA

Contents

• Background• Introduction• Device preparation• Experimental Results• Conclusion

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UNIVERSITY

CANADA

Background

• 1920s: Cu2O rectifier

• 1930s: Cu2O photosensitive device

• 1970s: Research on Cu2O photovoltaic cells

• Reported efficiency 2%. At present: 20% [1,2]

• 1980s: Three main issues of Cu2O solar cells:1. A sound method of preparation of Cu2O2. Increasing the photoconductivity of Cu2O3. Making a good P-N junction [3]

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Introduction• Solar cells research - popular topic now worldwide need for clean and renewable energy.• Cu2O Benefits (p-type):

Availability & low cost to develop Efficiency 20% Band gap 2 eV[4]

• ZnO (n-type): easy to manufacture and low cost.[4]

The combination of Cu2O and ZnO

inexpensive photoconductive device.

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Device Preparation

Three steps:

1. Cu2O painting

2. Deposition of ZnO3. Electrode connection

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Cu2O painting1. Copper sheet : Clean and dry thoroughly 2. Prepare a colloidal suspension3. Paint that suspension on Cu sheet.4. Dry (5 min), wash with acetone and deionised water

5. Heat (50°C, 5min) to remove any moisture content

Now the material is ready for next step

Device Preparation

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Electrochemical deposition of ZnO:• Using zinc Nitrate aq-solution (pH 12):

(Painted Cu2O sample and carbon electrode)

• Bias current 3mA at 72°C for 5 hours• Wash with deionised water and dry.

Device Preparation

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Electrical Connection:2 pieces of wire (≈5cm) connected to bare Cu and

ZnO using Nickel paint.

Device Preparation

Bare Cu plate

Cu2O Painting

ZnO deposition

Nickel contacts

The device preparation steps

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Cu2O painted side Bare Cu Side

Photograph of the Cu2O painted on bare Cu sample

Device Preparation

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CANADA

Figure 3: A completed photovoltaic cell

Cu2O painted side Bare Cu Side

Device Preparation

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Experimental Results

• Tested using “Agilent 4155C SPA” under the Diode Characterization setting• voltage sweep: -200mV to 200mV• Dark vs illuminated

40% increase in current upon illumination

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UNIVERSITY

CANADA

-0.2 -0.15 -0.1 -0.05 0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2

-0.04

-0.03

-0.02

-0.01

0

0.01

0.02

0.03

V-I response of the device

Voltage (V)

Curr

ent

(A)

Dark Current

Illuminated Current

Experimental Results

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UNIVERSITY

CANADA

Conclusion

• A simple approach to Cu/Cu2O-ZnO photovoltaic device

• simple painting technique to create the interface

A proof concept: Paves an avenue for an ultra-economical way to produce photovoltaic

devices in the future.

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References

1. Rakhshani, A.E., Solid-State Electronics., 29, 7(1986)2. Georgieva, V., Tanusevski, A., Georgieva, M., Solar

Cells- Thin-Film Technologies., L.A.Kosyachenko., Editor, p.55 INTECH (2011)

3. Olsen L.C., Addis, F.W., Miller.W., Solar Cells., 7 , 247 (1982-83)

4. Motoyoshi, R., Oku, T., Suzuki,A., Kikuchi, K., Kikuchi,S., Synthetic Metals., 160, 1219, (2010)

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UNIVERSITY

CANADA

Thank you