Photovoltaic Studies of Cd1-xCoxS Based Electrochemical Cells

Abstract

The Cd_1-xCo_xS (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.5) thin films were deposited on chemomechanically and ultrasonically cleaned stainless steel substrates by a liquid phase chemical bath deposition technique. The preparative parameters, (viz. growth temperature (56°C), deposition time (80 minutes), reaction pH (11±0.2) and the rate of mechanical churning (70±2)) and deposition conditions were used as optimized previously. The electrode/electrolyte interfaces were then set up between the n-type Cd_1-xCo_xS (0 ≤ x < 0.5) photosensing electrodes and a sulphide/polysulphide (0.25 M ) redox electrolyte in H-shaped corning glass cells. A graphite rod treated in a cobalt sulphate solution for 24 hours was employed as a counter electrode. The as- fabricated cells were then characterized through the voltage-current and voltage-capacitance characteristics in dark, photovoltaic power output characteristics under constant illumination, and different responses of the cells to incident light. The PV performance parameters such open-circuit photopotential (V_ph), short circuit photocurrent (I_ph), series and shunt resistances (Rs & R_sh), efficiency (η), form factor (ff), dark ideality factor (nd), ideality factor under illumination(nL), built-in potential (Φ_B), dark current (I_D), the flat band potential(V_fb), junction capacitance under flat band condition (cj), cut off wavelength(λc) and photogenerated carrier life time(τ) were evaluated for various cells with a special emphasis given to the electrode composition (x). In general, photovoltaic output performance of the Cd_1-XCo_XS based electrochemical cell is improved after Co implantation (x=0.1) in CdS.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/jncs.v30i0.9387

Journal of Nepal Chemical Society

Vol. 30, 2012

Page:  151-158

Uploaded date: 12/20/2013