Study of the surface properties of ZnO nanocolumns used for thin-film solar cells
Densely packed ZnO nanocolumns (NCs), perpendicularly oriented to the fused-silica substrates were directly grown under hydrothermal conditions at 90 °C, with a growth rate of around 0.2 μm/h. The morphology of the nanostructures was visualized and analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The...
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doaj-256df2cacfde4d24af467f407151ab022020-11-24T21:12:08ZengBeilstein-InstitutBeilstein Journal of Nanotechnology2190-42862017-02-018144645110.3762/bjnano.8.482190-4286-8-48Study of the surface properties of ZnO nanocolumns used for thin-film solar cellsNeda Neykova0Jiri Stuchlik1Karel Hruska2Ales Poruba3Zdenek Remes4Ognen Pop-Georgievski5Institute of Physics AS CR v.v.i., Cukrovarnicka 10, 162 53 Prague, Czech RepublicInstitute of Physics AS CR v.v.i., Cukrovarnicka 10, 162 53 Prague, Czech RepublicInstitute of Physics AS CR v.v.i., Cukrovarnicka 10, 162 53 Prague, Czech RepublicInstitute of Physics AS CR v.v.i., Cukrovarnicka 10, 162 53 Prague, Czech RepublicInstitute of Physics AS CR v.v.i., Cukrovarnicka 10, 162 53 Prague, Czech RepublicInstitute of Macromolecular Chemistry AS CR v.v.i., Heyrovsky sq. 2, 162 06 Prague, Czech RepublicDensely packed ZnO nanocolumns (NCs), perpendicularly oriented to the fused-silica substrates were directly grown under hydrothermal conditions at 90 °C, with a growth rate of around 0.2 μm/h. The morphology of the nanostructures was visualized and analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The surface properties of ZnO NCs and the binding state of present elements were investigated before and after different plasma treatments, typically used in plasma-enhanced CVD solar cell deposition processes, by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Photothermal deflection spectroscopy (PDS) was used to investigate the optical and photoelectrical characteristics of the ZnO NCs, and the changes induced to the absorptance by the plasma treatments. A strong impact of hydrogen plasma treatment on the free-carrier and defect absorption of ZnO NCs has been directly detected in the PDS spectra. Although oxygen plasma treatment was proven to be more efficient in the surface activation of the ZnO NC, the PDS analysis showed that the plasma treatment left the optical and photoelectrical features of the ZnO NCs intact. Thus, it was proven that the selected oxygen plasma treatment can be of great benefit for the development of thin film solar cells based on ZnO NCs.https://doi.org/10.3762/bjnano.8.483-dimensional solar cellshydrothermal growthoptical spectroscopyphotothermal deflection spectroscopyplasma treatmentX-ray photoelectron spectroscopyZnO nanocolumns |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Neda Neykova Jiri Stuchlik Karel Hruska Ales Poruba Zdenek Remes Ognen Pop-Georgievski |
spellingShingle |
Neda Neykova Jiri Stuchlik Karel Hruska Ales Poruba Zdenek Remes Ognen Pop-Georgievski Study of the surface properties of ZnO nanocolumns used for thin-film solar cells Beilstein Journal of Nanotechnology 3-dimensional solar cells hydrothermal growth optical spectroscopy photothermal deflection spectroscopy plasma treatment X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy ZnO nanocolumns |
author_facet |
Neda Neykova Jiri Stuchlik Karel Hruska Ales Poruba Zdenek Remes Ognen Pop-Georgievski |
author_sort |
Neda Neykova |
title |
Study of the surface properties of ZnO nanocolumns used for thin-film solar cells |
title_short |
Study of the surface properties of ZnO nanocolumns used for thin-film solar cells |
title_full |
Study of the surface properties of ZnO nanocolumns used for thin-film solar cells |
title_fullStr |
Study of the surface properties of ZnO nanocolumns used for thin-film solar cells |
title_full_unstemmed |
Study of the surface properties of ZnO nanocolumns used for thin-film solar cells |
title_sort |
study of the surface properties of zno nanocolumns used for thin-film solar cells |
publisher |
Beilstein-Institut |
series |
Beilstein Journal of Nanotechnology |
issn |
2190-4286 |
publishDate |
2017-02-01 |
description |
Densely packed ZnO nanocolumns (NCs), perpendicularly oriented to the fused-silica substrates were directly grown under hydrothermal conditions at 90 °C, with a growth rate of around 0.2 μm/h. The morphology of the nanostructures was visualized and analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The surface properties of ZnO NCs and the binding state of present elements were investigated before and after different plasma treatments, typically used in plasma-enhanced CVD solar cell deposition processes, by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Photothermal deflection spectroscopy (PDS) was used to investigate the optical and photoelectrical characteristics of the ZnO NCs, and the changes induced to the absorptance by the plasma treatments. A strong impact of hydrogen plasma treatment on the free-carrier and defect absorption of ZnO NCs has been directly detected in the PDS spectra. Although oxygen plasma treatment was proven to be more efficient in the surface activation of the ZnO NC, the PDS analysis showed that the plasma treatment left the optical and photoelectrical features of the ZnO NCs intact. Thus, it was proven that the selected oxygen plasma treatment can be of great benefit for the development of thin film solar cells based on ZnO NCs. |
topic |
3-dimensional solar cells hydrothermal growth optical spectroscopy photothermal deflection spectroscopy plasma treatment X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy ZnO nanocolumns |
url |
https://doi.org/10.3762/bjnano.8.48 |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT nedaneykova studyofthesurfacepropertiesofznonanocolumnsusedforthinfilmsolarcells AT jiristuchlik studyofthesurfacepropertiesofznonanocolumnsusedforthinfilmsolarcells AT karelhruska studyofthesurfacepropertiesofznonanocolumnsusedforthinfilmsolarcells AT alesporuba studyofthesurfacepropertiesofznonanocolumnsusedforthinfilmsolarcells AT zdenekremes studyofthesurfacepropertiesofznonanocolumnsusedforthinfilmsolarcells AT ognenpopgeorgievski studyofthesurfacepropertiesofznonanocolumnsusedforthinfilmsolarcells |
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