Fabrication and characterization of ZnO/Cu2O heterostructures for solar cells applications

Zinc oxide and cuprous oxide thin films are environmentally friendly and low-cost semiconductors and have various optoelectmnic applications. The overall cost of the heterostructures they form can also be reduced via economic fabrication methods. ZnO and Cu2O thin films can be deposit under normal laboratory conditions via spin coating and electrodeposition methods. However, the main concerns of the low-cost methods are the growth of pure Cu2O and efficient interface between the films. On the other hand, it is still worth exploiting the low-cost spin coating and electrodeposition methods due to their efficient thin film growth potential. In this study, the one-step spin coating method was employed to prepare ZnO thin films. The electrodeposition of Cu2O thin film was achieved via developed a simple two electrodes cell. The structural, morphological, optical, and electrical measurements show that p-type Cu2O thin films were successfully deposited with our system. Although the open circuit voltage of the prepared heterojunction solar cell devices is quite low, the methods here we apply and the conditions have the potential to fabricate a solar cell. Open circuit voltage and thus efficiency will increase by improving interfaces with chemical methods and more effective annealing.