Band offsets of n-type electron-selective contacts on cuprous oxide (Cu[subscript 2]O) for photovoltaics
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Buonassisi_Band offsets.pdf
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Author(s)
Brandt, Riley E.
Young, Matthew
Park, Helen Hejin
Dameron, Arrelaine
Chua, Danny
Lee, Yun Seog
Teeter, Glenn
Gordon, Roy G.
Buonassisi, Tonio
Date Issued
December 2014
Journal
Applied Physics Letters
Publisher
American Institute of Physics (AIP)
Citation
Brandt, Riley E., Matthew Young, Helen Hejin Park, Arrelaine Dameron, Danny Chua, Yun Seog Lee, Glenn Teeter, Roy G. Gordon, and Tonio Buonassisi. “Band Offsets of n-Type Electron-Selective Contacts on Cuprous Oxide (Cu[subscript 2]O) for Photovoltaics.” Appl. Phys. Lett. 105, no. 26 (December 29, 2014): 263901. © 2014 AIP Publishing LLC
Version
Final published version
Abstract
The development of cuprous oxide (Cu [subscript 2]O) photovoltaics (PVs) is limited by low device open-circuit voltages. A strong contributing factor to this underperformance is the conduction-band offset between Cu [subscript 2]O and its n-type heterojunction partner or electron-selective contact. In the present work, a broad range of possible n-type materials is surveyed, including ZnO, ZnS, Zn(O,S), (Mg,Zn)O, TiO[subscript 2], CdS, and Ga[subscript 2]O[subscript 3]. Band offsets are determined through X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and optical bandgap measurements. A majority of these materials is identified as having a negative conduction-band offset with respect to Cu [subscript 2]O; the detrimental impact of this on open-circuit voltage (V [subscript OC]) is evaluated through 1-D device simulation. These results suggest that doping density of the n-type material is important as well, and that a poorly optimized heterojunction can easily mask changes in bulk minority carrier lifetime. Promising heterojunction candidates identified here include Zn(O,S) with [S]/[Zn] ratios >70%, and Ga[subscript 2]O[subscript 3], which both demonstrate slightly positive conduction-band offsets and high V [subscript OC] potential. This experimental protocol and modeling may be generalized to evaluate the efficiency potential of candidate heterojunction partners for other PV absorbers, and the materials identified herein may be promising for other absorbers with low electron affinities.
MIT Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Mechanical Engineering
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Photovoltaic Research Laboratory
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DOI of Published Version
https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4905180
