Photoelectrochemical solar cells with chemically grown CdO rice grains on flexible stainless steel substrates

• Published in: Materials letters Vol. 106; pp. 133 - 136
• Main Authors: Jambure, S.B., Lokhande, C.D.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.09.2013
• Subjects: absorbance; adsorption; Annealing; Cadmium; Chemical synthesis; cost effectiveness; electricity; Grains; Microstructure; Photoelectrochemical study; Photovoltaic cells; Rice; Solar cells; Solar energy materials; stainless steel; Stainless steels; Thin films; X-ray diffraction; Thin films; Microstructure; Chemical synthesis; Photoelectrochemical study; Solar energy materials
• ISSN: 0167-577X; 1873-4979
• DOI: 10.1016/j.matlet.2013.04.068

The cadmium oxide (CdO) thin films were synthesized by novel successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) method on cost effective stainless steel substrates. The porous rice grain like morphology of CdO was obtained with 500nm grain size, well suitable for solar cell application. Raman and X-ray diffraction studies confirmed the formation of polycrystalline cubic CdO thin film. The CdO rice grains showed absorbance in the visible region with direct band gap of 2.50eV after annealing the films at 673K. The light to electricity conversion efficiency of 0.46% with maximum 74.5% fill factor was achieved for CdO on stainless steel substrate in the photoelectrochemical (PEC) study. These results designate that chemically synthesized CdO rice grains could be greatly utilized in PEC application. [Display omitted] •CdO rice grain like morphology is obtained first time by chemical method (SILAR).•Porous CdO rice grains are grown on cost effective stainless steel substrate.•Photoelectrochemical performance of CdO is studied showing good efficiency.