Efficiency enhancement of graphene/silicon-pillar-array solar cells by HNO3 and PEDOT-PSS

Nanoscale. 2012 Mar 21;4(6):2130-3. doi: 10.1039/c2nr12001a. Epub 2012 Feb 15.

Abstract

A single-layer graphene film was grown on copper foil by chemical vapor deposition and transferred onto a silicon-pillar-array (SPA) substrate to make a Schottky junction solar cell. The SPA substrate was specifically designed to suppress reflectance and enhance light absorption. The energy conversion efficiency of the prepared graphene/SPA solar cells achieved a maximum of 2.90% with a junction area of 0.09 cm(2). HNO(3) was employed to dope the graphene in the solar cells, and the time dependence of HNO(3) treatment on the cell performance was studied. Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrenesulfonic acid (PEDOT-PSS) was also introduced in graphene/SPA solar cells by spin coating on top of the graphene film, and its modification on the cell performance was characterized. The results show that both HNO(3) and the PEDOT-PSS film could enhance the energy conversion efficiency of graphene/SPA solar cells.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Electric Power Supplies*
  • Energy Transfer
  • Equipment Design
  • Equipment Failure Analysis
  • Graphite / chemistry*
  • Nanostructures / chemistry*
  • Nanostructures / ultrastructure
  • Nitric Acid / chemistry*
  • Polystyrenes / chemistry*
  • Silicon / chemistry*
  • Solar Energy*
  • Thiophenes / chemistry*

Substances

  • Polystyrenes
  • Thiophenes
  • poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-poly(styrenesulfonate)
  • Nitric Acid
  • Graphite
  • Silicon