Fabrication of the CuO/Cu_2O heterojunction using an electrodeposition technique for solar cell applications

摘要

Thin films of n-type cuprous oxide (Cu_2O) were potentiostatically electrodeposited on a Ti substrate in an acetate bath. Cu_2O thin films were annealed at 500 ℃ for 30 min in air for growing p-type cupric oxide (CuO) thin films. n-Cu_2O thin films were potentiostatically electrodeposited in an acetate bath on Ti/CuO electrodes in order to fabricate the p-CuO-Cu_2O heterojunction. The structural, morphological and optoelectronic properties of the CuO/Cu_2O heterojunction were studied using x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron micrographs (SEMs) and dark and light current-voltage characteristics. XRD and SEM reveal that well-covered single phase polycrystalline Cu_2O thin film on the Ti/CuO electrode can be possible at the deposition potential of -550 mV versus the saturated calomel electrode (SCE) in an acetate bath. Photovoltaic characteristics further established the formation of the CuO/Cu_2O heterojunction.