Fabrication and characterization of nanocrystalline n-CdO/p-Si as a solar cell

A nanocrystalline CdO/Si solar cell was fabricated via deposition of a CdO thin film on p-type silicon substrate with approximately 370 nm thickness using solid–vapor deposition for Cd powder at 1274 K with argon and oxygen flow. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that the product was a Cadmium oxide nanocrystalline. X-ray diffraction and energy dispersive X-ray analysis were used to characterize the structural properties of the solar cell. The nanocrystalline thin film had a grain size of 38 nm. The solar cell yielded a minimum effective reflectance that exhibited excellent light-trapping at wavelengths ranging from 400 to 1000 nm. Photoluminescence spectroscopy was conducted to investigate the optical properties. The direct band gap energy of the nanocrystalline CdO thin film was 2.46 eV. CdO/Si solar cell photovoltaic properties were examined under 100 mW/cm2 solar radiation. The cell showed an open circuit voltage (Voc) of 457 mV, a short-circuit current density (Jsc) of 18.5 mA/cm2, a fill factor (FF) of 0.652, and a conversion efficiency (η) of 5.51%.

► Nanocrystalline n-CdO/p-Si solar cell was fabricated using solid–vapor deposition at 1274 K.
► SEM revealed that the product was a Cadmium oxide nanocrystalline.
► The solar cell yielded a minimum effective reflectance that exhibited excellent light-trapping.
► Solar cell conversion efficiency was found to be 5.51% using solid–vapor deposition method.