Dresden 2014 – scientific programme

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DS: Fachverband Dünne Schichten

DS 41: Focus Session: Sustainable Photovoltaics with Earth Abundant Materials II

DS 41.2: Talk

Thursday, April 3, 2014, 15:15–15:30, CHE 91

Copper oxide for photovoltaic applications — Alexander Wagner, Nikolai Ehrhardt, Mathieu Stahl, Andreas Fahl, Johannes Ledig, Lorenzo Caccamo, Andreas Waag, and •Andrey Bakin — Institute of Semiconductor Technology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Hans-Sommer-Strasse 66, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany

Oxides and related materials are extremely promising materials for sustainable photovoltaics providing abundance and nontoxicity. For an all-oxide solar cell p-type Cu2O is a promising absorber material with a high absorption coefficient and 2.1 eV band gap. Theoretically predicted efficiencies of Cu2O based solar cells are up to 20% but till now the devices on the base of copper oxide show significantly lower efficiencies. Further fundamental investigations are needed in order to understand in depth the physics behind the devices on the base of these materials and to improve the efficiency of the cells. Influence of different buffer layers on the performance of an all oxide solar cell is discussed. Controllably grown Cu2O layers are also prerequisites for fabrication of high efficiency solar cells and vapor phase epitaxial growth of Cu2O is presented.