Oxide Heterostructures for Photovoltaic Cells

Abstract

A new technology of n-ZnO/p-CuO heterostructures formation within a single technological cycle by using the method of RF magnetron reactive sputtering of the powders of copper and zinc oxides has been proposed. The thinfilm samples of oxide structures with the sequence of layers Glass/n-ZnO/i-ZnO/pCuOx/Me were produced. Optical and structural properties of the CuO films and electrical properties of ZnO/CuO structures were investigated upon thermal treatment. It is shown that a photosensitive n-ZnO/p-CuO heterojunction may be formed by rapid (~1 min) thermal processing in air.

Keywords

• oxide heterostructures
• photovoltaic cells
• copper and zinc oxides