Fabrication and characterization of cuprous oxide: fullerene solar cells

Cuprous oxide (Cu2O)-based solar cells with fullerene (C-60) were fabricated on indium tin oxide (ITO) by a spin-coating method. The microstructure and cell performance of the solar cells with the Cu2O:C-60 structure was investigated. A photovoltaic device based on an ITO/Cu2O:C-60 bulk heterojunction structure fabricated by the spin-coating method provided short-circuit current density of 0.11 mA cm(-2) and open-circuit voltage of 0.17 V under an Air Mass 1.5 illumination. The microstructures of the Cu2O active layer were examined by using X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. The energy levels of the present solar cells are also discussed. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.