Enhanced efficiency of graphene-silicon Schottky junction solar cells by doping with Au nanoparticles

We have reported a method to enhance the performance of graphene-Si (Gr/Si) Schottky junction solar cells by introducing Au nanoparticles (NPs) onto the monolayer graphene and few-layer graphene. The electron transfer between Au NPs and graphene leads to the increased work function and enhanced electrical conductivity of graphene, resulting in a remarkable improvement of device efficiency. By optimizing the initial thickness of Au layers, the power conversion efficiency of Gr/Si solar cells can be increased by more than three times, with a maximum value of 7.34%. These results show a route for fabricating efficient and stable Gr/Si solar cells. (C) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC.