Band diagram of p-n junction in standard solar cell
In a basic Schottky-junction (Schottky-barrier) solar cell, an interface between a metal and a semiconductor provides the band bending necessary for charge separation.[1] Traditional solar cells are composed of p-type and n-type semiconductor layers sandwiched together, forming the source of built-in voltage (a p-n junction).[2] Due to differing energy levels between the Fermi level of the metal and the conduction band of the semiconductor, an abrupt potential difference is created, instead of the smooth band transition observed across a p-n junction in a standard solar cell, and this is a Schottky height barrier.[3] Although vulnerable to higher rates of thermionic emission, manufacturing of Schottky barrier solar cells proves to be cost-effective and industrially scalable.[4]
However, research has shown thin insulating layers between metal and semiconductors improve solar cell performance, generating interest in metal-insulator-semiconductor Schottky junction solar cells. A thin insulating layer, such as silicon dioxide, can reduce rates of electron-hole pair recombination and dark current by allowing the possibility of minority carriers to tunnel through this layer.[5]
The Schottky-junction is an attempt to increase the efficiency of solar cells by introducing an impurity energy level in the band gap. This impurity can absorb more lower energy photons, which improves the power conversion efficiency of the cell.[6] This type of solar cell allows enhanced light trapping and faster carrier transport compared to more conventional photovoltaic cells.[7]
^Tung, Raymond T. (2014). "The Physics and Chemistry of the Schottky Barrier Height". Applied Physics Reviews. 1 (1): 011304. Bibcode:2014ApPRv...1a1304T. doi:10.1063/1.4858400.
^Partain, Larry; Fraas, Lewis (2010). Solar Cells and Their Applications. Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
^Landsberg, P.T.; Klimpe, C. (1977). "Theory of the Schottky Barrier Cell" (PDF). Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series A, Mathematical and Physical Sciences. 354 (1676): 101–118. doi:10.1098/rspa.1977.0058. S2CID 97366390.
^Srivatava, S.; et al. (1980). "Efficiency of Schottky Barrier Solar Cells". Physica Status Solidi A. 58 (2): 343–348. Bibcode:1980PSSAR..58..343S. doi:10.1002/pssa.2210580203.
^Pulfrey, David L. (1978). "MIS Solar Cells: A Review". IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices. 25 (11): 1308–1317. Bibcode:1978ITED...25.1308P. doi:10.1109/t-ed.1978.19271. S2CID 47296128.
^Luque, Antonio; Martí, Antonio (1997). "Increasing the Efficiency of Ideal Solar Cells by Photon Induced Transitions at Intermediate Levels". Physical Review Letters. 78 (26): 5014–5017. Bibcode:1997PhRvL..78.5014L. doi:10.1103/physrevlett.78.5014.
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