Open AccessZnO-coated CuO nanowire arrays: fabrications, optoelectronic properties, and photovoltaic applications
Author(s) -
Peng Wang,
Xiuge Zhao,
Baojun Li
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.19.011271
Subject(s) - materials science , photocurrent , nanowire , optoelectronics , heterojunction , fabrication , dark current , annealing (glass) , thermal oxidation , energy conversion efficiency , photovoltaic system , current density , open circuit voltage , voltage , silicon , photodetector , medicine , ecology , alternative medicine , physics , pathology , quantum mechanics , composite material , biology
We report a growth of p-CuO nanowire arrays with a simple thermal oxidation and a fabrication of nanowire-based heterojunctions by coating the p-CuO nanowire arrays in an n-ZnO layer through a thermal decomposition method. Their optoelectronic properties and photovoltaic performance were investigated. Compared with the conductance in the dark, a 154% increase in photoconductance was obtained under a white light illumination of 100 mW/cm2. The heterojunctions exhibit an obvious photocurrent increment of 0.264 mA under the illumination of 141 mW/cm2. After annealing the heterojunctions at 100°C for 25 min, a larger open-circuit voltage of 0.37 V was obtained, the short-circuit current density increase to 0.63 mA/cm2 from original 0.49 mA/cm2. The overall power conversion efficiency is 0.1%.