Cuprous Oxide Photovoltaic Cells for Solar-Energy Conversion. Final Report, February 1, 1981-April 30, 1982

摘要

Cuprous oxide can be used to make inexpensive photovoltaic cells for solar energy conversion but commercial feasibility depends on increasing the conversion efficiency from approx. 1% to 4 to 6%. A new method using proton bombardment to produce copper on cuprous oxide cells gave improved voltage but with some loss in current. Low bombardment voltages gave better results than high voltages; auger surface analysis showed this was due to the formation of thinner copper films at the surface. Transmission electron microscopy and selected area electron diffraction on thin Cu sub 2 O single crystals subjected to hydrogen ion bombardment showed that the Cu formed oriented epitaxial films on the Cu sub 2 O. The efficiency of the cells has reached 1.3%. Some initial work using atomic hydrogen to produce copper on cuprous oxide cells also gave thinner copper films but the films were not uniform. To improve this condition, the surface of the cells was examined in detail by a laser scanner apparatus. Other work was concerned with float zone refining of cuprous oxide, purification of copper by zone refining and electrorefining, and ion implantation into cuprous oxide. An analysis of these results shows that a conversion efficiency of 4 to 6% is a realistic near term goal and that efficiencies of 10% or greater could be reached eventually. (ERA citation 07:042776)