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Improved Light Efficiency in Si Solar Cells by Coating Mesoporous TiO 2 and Cu‐Modified Mesoporous TiO 2
Author(s) -
Ravuvari Ajay K.,
Yechuri Sandeep,
Chaitanya Ch,
Rajesh Cherukupalli
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
solar rrl
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.544
H-Index - 37
ISSN - 2367-198X
DOI - 10.1002/solr.201800214
Subject(s) - passivation , materials science , mesoporous material , energy conversion efficiency , coating , solar cell , solar cell efficiency , chemical engineering , nanotechnology , optoelectronics , layer (electronics) , chemistry , catalysis , biochemistry , engineering
In the present work, an improvement in light‐conversion efficiency by coating spherical particles of mesoporous TiO 2 (MT) and copper‐modified mesoporous TiO 2 (CMT) on single‐crystalline Si solar PV cell is observed. The studies are carried out by spin coating with different concentrations of MT (0.25 to 1.5%) and CMT (0.25 to 1.0%) particles on bare cells independently and compared with a bare solar cell throughout the work. It is observed that in the case of MT coatings, the conversion efficiency increases initially and reaches a maximum of 9.77% at a coating concentration of 1.0%; thereafter, it decreases with an increase in coating concentration. This decrease in efficiency may be attributed to coagulation of MT particles, whereas in the case of CMT particles the conversion efficiency reached a maximum of 8.85% at 0.5% concentration and decreases thereafter. This study indicates that a higher efficiency can be achieved at lower concentrations of CMT coating compared to MT coatings on a bare solar cell. The increase in efficiency may be attributed to better surface passivation and/or trapping of electrons at the metal sites by Cu in CMT. Recombination lifetime measurements results corroborated that CMT particles show better surface passivation as a result of which there is an increase in efficiency. Diffused reflectance and short‐circuit current ratio versus wavelength studies on MT and CMT also revealed that CMT particles perform better than MT particles.