Effects of Nanoscal Holes on Schottky Solar Cells

POSTER

Abstract

Increasingly efficient solar to electrical energy conversion is of increasing interest and demand as a viable and sustainable means of renewable energy. The effects of nanoscale patterning at the metal-semiconductor interface of a schottky solar cell are investigated. Effects beyond those produced by variations in the active area of the cell due to the patterning are expected to be observed. N-type GaAs(100) substrates were used in the fabrication of the thin film solar cells. A selection of samples was made porous on the nanoscale using electrochemical etching. Indium was deposited by thermal evaporation to form the metal-semiconductor schottky barrier. On the porous samples the evaporation was done at an angle so as to form intermittent discontinuities in the schottky barrier on the nanoscale. Both porous and nonporous schottky solar cells underwent current/voltage measurements under various lighting conditions in order to determine their photovoltaic characteristics. Photoresponse was indeed observed in the In-GaAs solar cells. However the collected data remains inconclusive as to the effects of the nanoscale discontinuities on the thin film cell.

Authors

  • Vincent DeGeorge

    John Carroll University

  • Kurt Wiesenfeld

    Miami University, Summa Health System, Akron, John Carroll University, Prof, Dr, BfS, Germany, Florida State University, Monmouth College, Ohio Wesleyan University, Kenyon College, University of Cincinnati, Brookhaven National Lab, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, Dept. of Chermical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Cleveland State University, The Neurological Institute, Epilepsy Center, Department of Neurology, Cleveland Clinic, Un. of Stockholm, The University of Akron, Case Western Reserve University, West Virginia University, Kalamazoo College and Editor, American Journal of Physics, Denison University, University of Southern Florida, Johannes-Gutenberg-Universitat, BfS (Germany), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Department of Physics, West Virginia University, Kansas State University, The Pennsylvania State University, University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, Purdue University, Saint Jospeh's College, University of Washington, Indiana University, University of Potsdam, Georgia Institute of Technology

  • Kurt Wiesenfeld

    Miami University, Summa Health System, Akron, John Carroll University, Prof, Dr, BfS, Germany, Florida State University, Monmouth College, Ohio Wesleyan University, Kenyon College, University of Cincinnati, Brookhaven National Lab, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, Dept. of Chermical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Cleveland State University, The Neurological Institute, Epilepsy Center, Department of Neurology, Cleveland Clinic, Un. of Stockholm, The University of Akron, Case Western Reserve University, West Virginia University, Kalamazoo College and Editor, American Journal of Physics, Denison University, University of Southern Florida, Johannes-Gutenberg-Universitat, BfS (Germany), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Department of Physics, West Virginia University, Kansas State University, The Pennsylvania State University, University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, Purdue University, Saint Jospeh's College, University of Washington, Indiana University, University of Potsdam, Georgia Institute of Technology