Low Temperature Current Density-Voltage Measurements of CdTe Solar Cells with Single Walled Carbon Nanotube Back Contacts: Determining Carrier Transport Mechanism and Barrier Height

POSTER

Abstract

Current density-voltage (JV) characteristics of CdTe solar cell with single walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) back contacts were measured as a function of temperature to determine the charge transport mechanism and the barrier height between the SWCNTs and CdTe. The JV characteristics under forward bias were used to determine if the charge transport mechanism was thermionic emission (TE), a drift and diffusion mechanism, or tunneling for each temperature. The back contact barrier height was determined by determining the saturation current density as a function of the temperature. For SWCNT back contacts the transport of majority carriers through the back contact in the temperature range from 300 K to 180 K is limited by drift and diffusion rather than by thermionic emission. Below 180 K, tunneling becomes the dominant process for charge transport. The barrier height for a SWCNT contact is lower than that of the standard Cu/Au back contact. Interestingly, it appears to be nearly constant for SWCNT films independent of the work function of the metal overlaying the SWCNTs

Authors

  • Fadhil Alfadhili

    University of Toledo

  • Mikhail Zamkov

    University of Notre Dame, University of Toledo, Case Western Reserve University, John Carroll University, Bowling Green State Univ, Materials Science and Technology Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Institute of Radiation Physics, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Ohio University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Toledo, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Toledo, Wuhan University, Southeast University, Physics and Astronomy and Center for Photochemical Science, Bowling Green State University, Physics and Astronomy, University of Toledo, Air Force Research Laboratory, Physics and Astronomy, Bowling Green State University, Purdue University, Student/Supervisor, Student, None, University of Michigan, Dearborn, Clemson University, Michigan State University, Bowling Green State University, Physics Dep, Cleveland State University, Physical Therapy Program, Central Michigan State University

  • Mikhail Zamkov

    University of Notre Dame, University of Toledo, Case Western Reserve University, John Carroll University, Bowling Green State Univ, Materials Science and Technology Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Institute of Radiation Physics, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Ohio University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Toledo, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Toledo, Wuhan University, Southeast University, Physics and Astronomy and Center for Photochemical Science, Bowling Green State University, Physics and Astronomy, University of Toledo, Air Force Research Laboratory, Physics and Astronomy, Bowling Green State University, Purdue University, Student/Supervisor, Student, None, University of Michigan, Dearborn, Clemson University, Michigan State University, Bowling Green State University, Physics Dep, Cleveland State University, Physical Therapy Program, Central Michigan State University

  • Mikhail Zamkov

    University of Notre Dame, University of Toledo, Case Western Reserve University, John Carroll University, Bowling Green State Univ, Materials Science and Technology Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Institute of Radiation Physics, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Ohio University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Toledo, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Toledo, Wuhan University, Southeast University, Physics and Astronomy and Center for Photochemical Science, Bowling Green State University, Physics and Astronomy, University of Toledo, Air Force Research Laboratory, Physics and Astronomy, Bowling Green State University, Purdue University, Student/Supervisor, Student, None, University of Michigan, Dearborn, Clemson University, Michigan State University, Bowling Green State University, Physics Dep, Cleveland State University, Physical Therapy Program, Central Michigan State University

  • Mikhail Zamkov

    University of Notre Dame, University of Toledo, Case Western Reserve University, John Carroll University, Bowling Green State Univ, Materials Science and Technology Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Institute of Radiation Physics, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Ohio University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Toledo, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Toledo, Wuhan University, Southeast University, Physics and Astronomy and Center for Photochemical Science, Bowling Green State University, Physics and Astronomy, University of Toledo, Air Force Research Laboratory, Physics and Astronomy, Bowling Green State University, Purdue University, Student/Supervisor, Student, None, University of Michigan, Dearborn, Clemson University, Michigan State University, Bowling Green State University, Physics Dep, Cleveland State University, Physical Therapy Program, Central Michigan State University

  • Mikhail Zamkov

    University of Notre Dame, University of Toledo, Case Western Reserve University, John Carroll University, Bowling Green State Univ, Materials Science and Technology Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Institute of Radiation Physics, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Ohio University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Toledo, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Toledo, Wuhan University, Southeast University, Physics and Astronomy and Center for Photochemical Science, Bowling Green State University, Physics and Astronomy, University of Toledo, Air Force Research Laboratory, Physics and Astronomy, Bowling Green State University, Purdue University, Student/Supervisor, Student, None, University of Michigan, Dearborn, Clemson University, Michigan State University, Bowling Green State University, Physics Dep, Cleveland State University, Physical Therapy Program, Central Michigan State University