2026-09-19T00:37:07Zhttps://dspace.mit.edu/server/oai/requestoai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/815932022-01-13T07:54:05Zcom_1721.1_7582com_1721.1_7581col_1721.1_131023
Tonio Buonassisi.
Brandt, Riley Eric
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Mechanical Engineering.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Mechanical Engineering
2013-10-24T17:32:51Z
2013-10-24T17:32:51Z
2013
2013
http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/81593
858863658
Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, 2013.
Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (p. 95-99).
In this thesis, I fabricated and characterized a series of thin-film cuprous oxide (Cu₂O) photovoltaic devices. I constructed several different device designs, using sputtered and electrochemically deposited Cu₂O. Characterization was done using XRD, SEM, optical spectroscopy, quantum efficiency, current-voltage, and capacitance-voltage measurements. Then, these devices were modeled using SCAPS-1D, a numerical simulation package, as well as MATLAB for analytical solutions. This simulation enabled a quantitative breakdown of efficiency losses in Cu 20 devices. Simulations suggest that low device efficiencies of 0.3-0.6% may be explained in part by poor bulk transport properties in the Cu₂O. However, the predominant efficiency loss comes from an unoptimized p-n heterojunction, in which a large negative conduction band offset and structural defects lead to a low built-in voltage and high recombination activity. The effects of interface engineering are demonstrated in experiment and simulation. Broader simulations suggest opportunities for future efficiency improvements towards 10%. These include the improvement of bulk properties, the selection of alternative pairing materials, novel device structures, and the possibility of multijunction cells.
by Riley Eric Brandt.
S.M.
99 p.
eng
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
M.I.T. theses are protected by
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http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582
Mechanical Engineering.
Elucidating efficiency losses in cuprous oxide (Cu₂O) photovoltaics and identifying strategies for efficiency improvement
Thesis
application/pdf
Publication
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unknown
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<Abstract>In this thesis, I fabricated and characterized a series of thin-film cuprous oxide (Cu₂O) photovoltaic devices. I constructed several different device designs, using sputtered and electrochemically deposited Cu₂O. Characterization was done using XRD, SEM, optical spectroscopy, quantum efficiency, current-voltage, and capacitance-voltage measurements. Then, these devices were modeled using SCAPS-1D, a numerical simulation package, as well as MATLAB for analytical solutions. This simulation enabled a quantitative breakdown of efficiency losses in Cu 20 devices. Simulations suggest that low device efficiencies of 0.3-0.6% may be explained in part by poor bulk transport properties in the Cu₂O. However, the predominant efficiency loss comes from an unoptimized p-n heterojunction, in which a large negative conduction band offset and structural defects lead to a low built-in voltage and high recombination activity. The effects of interface engineering are demonstrated in experiment and simulation. Broader simulations suggest opportunities for future efficiency improvements towards 10%. These include the improvement of bulk properties, the selection of alternative pairing materials, novel device structures, and the possibility of multijunction cells.</Abstract>
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