Hybrid silicon nanocone–polymer solar cells based on a transparent top electrode

Abstract

Instead of using a metal grid line as the top electrode for Si nanocone/PEDOT:PSS hybrid solar cells, herein we utilize a fully covered thin layer of transparent MoO₃/Ag/ZnS to efficiently collect photo-generated charge carriers without sacrificing photon absorption. Vertical silicon nanocone (SiNC) arrays with short cone lengths are prepared by a metal-assisted chemical etching technique. Such a unique structure favors the subsequent infiltration of PEDOT:PSS into the nanocone array. In addition to decent antireflection and light trapping properties, which can be attributed to the nanostructure array, the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the hybrid solar cells reaches 5.12% upon optimizing the length of the nanocone and the thickness of the PEDOT:PSS layer. This paper not only provides an elaborate investigation on Si-based hybrid solar cells, but also gives a universal methodology for the preparation of transparent electrodes for other categories of photoelectric devices.