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Low temperature fabrication of PEDOT:PSS/micro-textured silicon-based heterojunction solar cells

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Abstract

Organic/inorganic heterojunctions provide a viable option to replace the conventional high-temperature dopant diffusion-based p–n junction owing to their low manufacturing cost. Thus, there has been increasing interests in low temperature heterojunction solar cell concepts particularly polymer/silicon-based heterojunction solar cells. Here, we report fabrication of heterojunction silicon solar cells employing a relatively rapid and solution-based low temperature (~100 °C) process wherein heterojunctions are made by directly spin coating the poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS), a p-layer on the micro-textured (µT) n-Si substrates. The micro-texturing enhances the surface area as well as reduces reflectance to ~11 % in the spectral range useful for Si solar cell. The role of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) addition in PEDOT:PSS on the performance parameters of the solar cells has been investigated. The PEDOT:PSS layer also acts as a surface passivation layer for n-Si as confirmed by the minority carrier lifetime measurements. Almost threefold enhancement in the photocurrent density (J sc) and a fivefold improvement in the conversion efficiency (η) for an optimized DMSO addition in the polymer have been observed compared to that having no DMSO addition. As a result, a maximum η of 6.45 % and J sc of 27.28 mA/cm2 have been achieved under 100 mW/cm2 irradiation at 25 °C. In these cells, open circuit voltage and fill factor are found low, which is the reason for low device efficiency. However, there is a scope for further improvement in device performance by process optimization particularly metal electrodes, PEDOT:PSS/DMSO layer thickness, PEDOT:PSS/DMSO/µT-Si interface properties, and incorporation of back surface field to exploit the full potential of such concepts.

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Acknowledgements

Present work is sponsored by the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research-Young Scientist Awardee (CSIR-YSA) Research Project (Grant code: OLP 142732; P-81-113). Partial financial support from the CSIR, India under CSIR-TAPSUN Project (Grant code: NWP-55) is also acknowledged. Prashant Singh is thankful to CSIR for research fellowship during the work. Authors are thankful to Mr. K. N. Sood for SEM imaging of the samples.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Silicon Solar Cells Group, CSIR-National Physical Laboratory (CSIR-NPL), New Delhi, 110012, India

    Mohammad Yameen, Sanjay K. Srivastava, Prashant Singh, Kamini Turan, P. Prathap,  Vandana, C. M. S. Rauthan & P. K. Singh

  2. CSIR-Network of Institutes for Solar Energy (NISE), New Delhi, 110012, India

    Sanjay K. Srivastava, P. Prathap,  Vandana, C. M. S. Rauthan & P. K. Singh

  3. Academy of Scientific & Innovative Research (AcSIR), CSIR-NPL Campus, New Delhi, 110012, India

    Mohammad Yameen, Sanjay K. Srivastava, Prashant Singh,  Vandana & P. K. Singh

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  1. Mohammad Yameen
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Correspondence to Sanjay K. Srivastava.

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Yameen, M., Srivastava, S.K., Singh, P. et al. Low temperature fabrication of PEDOT:PSS/micro-textured silicon-based heterojunction solar cells. J Mater Sci 50, 8046–8056 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-015-9372-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-015-9372-7

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