Effect of Al doped ZnO on optical and photovoltaic properties of the p-Cu2O/n-AZO solar cells

Metal oxide thin films have fared so well in the semiconductor industry because of their superior physical, electrical, and optical properties. The applications of these materials in solar cells, biosensors, biomedicine, supercapacitors, photocatalysis, luminous materials, and laser systems are becoming increasingly popular. In this study, the influence of Al concentration on Cu2O/AZO heterojunction thin films was examined systematically. First, arrays of n-ZnO and AZO rods were produced on an ITO substrate using a hydrothermal technique at 140 degrees C. Then, using an alkaline cupric lactate solution, a thin films of p-Cu2O were electrodeposited at 60 degrees C onto the ZnO arrays. The structure and morphology of the produced materials and the solar cells were studied using X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The optical measurements demonstrate a shift in the ab-sorption edge with increasing Al content. Solar cells have been created with a device structure of ITO/ZnO/ Cu2O/Al and ITO/Al-doped ZnO/Cu2O/Al configurations. The power conversion efficiency (q) of the inorganic solar cell with 6% Al-doped ZnO is q = 0.282%, which is greater than the q of the ZnO-based solar cell (q = 0.17%).