title: Flexible CuS nanotubes-ITO film Schottky junction solar cells with enhanced light harvesting by using an Ag mirror.
abstract: Here we report the fabrication of a novel photovoltaic device based on CuS nanotubes (CuSNTs) and indium tin oxide (ITO) Schottky junctions. Large-quantity synthesis of CuSNTs was accomplished via a solution-based sacrificial template method under moderate conditions, while ITO Schottky contacts were fabricated via micro-fabrication and pulsed laser deposition (PLD). Upon light illumination, CuSNTs-ITO Schottky junctions exhibited pronounced photovoltaic behavior, giving rise to a power conversion efficiency of 1.17% on a conventional SiO(2)/Si substrate. Furthermore, by utilizing PET as the substrate, transparent and flexible CuSNTs-ITO solar cells were constructed and showed performance close to their device counterparts on a rigid substrate. Notably, it was found that the flexible devices were robust against tensile strain and could stand a bending angle up to ∼95°. To enhance the light absorption of the devices, an Ag mirror layer was deposited on the rear side of the PET substrate so as to allow multiple reflection and absorption of the incident light. As a result, the flexible devices showed a substantial performance improvement, yielding an efficiency of ∼2%. Our results demonstrate that low-cost and environmentally friendly CuSNTs-ITO solar cells are promising candidates for new-generation photovoltaic devices.
authors.affiliation: School of Electronic Science and Applied Physics, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei Anhui 230009, People's Republic of China. cywu@hfut.edu.cn
authors.forename: Chunyan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Zihan
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yiliang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lv
authors.forename: Biao
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nie
authors.forename: Linbao
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jigang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Jiansheng
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jie
mesh_terms: D003300:Copper / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects; D055119:Elastic Modulus; D011211:Electric Power Supplies; D004566:Electrodes; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D007909:Lenses; D043942:Nanotubes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010316:Particle Size; D012666:Semiconductors; D012834:Silver / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects; D012993:Solar Energy; D017971:Tin Compounds / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects
chemical_list: D017971:Tin Compounds; D012834:Silver; C109984:indium tin oxide; D003300:Copper; C017846:cupric sulfide