Doping and Defect Engineering of CuO for Enhanced Performance in Si Heterojunction Solar Cells
Adithya Prakash1, Saikat Chattopadhyay2, M G Mahesha1
1Department of Physics, Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal 576104, India.
ACS Omega
|September 22, 2025
Summary
Doping copper oxide (CuO) thin films with elements like Aluminum significantly boosts solar cell efficiency, showing promise for cost-effective photovoltaic technology. Controlled defects and doping are key to enhancing silicon/CuO heterojunction solar cell performance.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Renewable Energy
- Semiconductor Physics
Background:
- Copper oxide (CuO) thin films are promising for solar cells due to abundance and band gap.
- Silicon-based heterojunction solar cells offer a platform for exploring novel absorber materials.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate pristine and doped (Zn, Mg, Al) CuO thin films for Si-based heterojunction solar cells.
- Evaluate the impact of doping and defects on solar cell performance using simulations and experiments.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of Si/CuO heterojunction solar cells.
- SCAPS-1D simulations under AM 1.5 illumination.
- Analysis of doping effects, parasitic resistance, and oxygen defects (interstitial oxygen and oxygen vacancies).
Main Results:
- Simulations predicted efficiency increases from 5% (pristine CuO) to over 24% (doped CuO).
- Parasitic resistance reduced efficiency significantly.
- Experimental results showed Al-doped CuO achieved 6.52% efficiency, a substantial improvement over pristine CuO (0.42%).
- Interstitial oxygen defects positively influenced device performance.
Conclusions:
- Controlled doping and defect engineering are crucial for enhancing Si/CuO heterojunction solar cell performance.
- Al-doped CuO demonstrates significant potential for efficient photovoltaic applications.
- This research paves the way for cost-effective solar energy technologies.
