Hybrid heterojunction and photoelectrochemistry solar cell based on silicon nanowires and double-walled carbon nanotubes

Nano Lett. 2009 Dec;9(12):4338-42. doi: 10.1021/nl902581k.

Abstract

A hybrid solar cell model composed of a heterojunction cell and a photoelectrochemical (PEC) cell has been proposed and characterized. In the hybrid cell, a thin film of double-walled carbon nanotubes forms a heterojunction with the silicon nanowire (SiNW) array and also functions as the transparent counter electrode of the PEC cell. The cell performance can be readily tuned by controlling the SiNW density. Under AM 1.5G illumination, a power conversion efficiency of 1.29%, higher than those reported for SiNW array-based PEC cells, has been obtained.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Crystallization / methods
  • Electric Power Supplies*
  • Electrochemistry / instrumentation*
  • Equipment Design
  • Equipment Failure Analysis
  • Macromolecular Substances / chemistry
  • Materials Testing
  • Microelectrodes*
  • Molecular Conformation
  • Nanotechnology / instrumentation
  • Nanotubes, Carbon / chemistry*
  • Nanotubes, Carbon / ultrastructure
  • Particle Size
  • Photochemistry / instrumentation*
  • Silicon / chemistry*
  • Solar Energy*
  • Surface Properties

Substances

  • Macromolecular Substances
  • Nanotubes, Carbon
  • Silicon