New Method of Depositing the Nanostructured Amorphous Carbon for Carbon Based Solar Cell Applications

Nanostructured amorphous carbon (a-C) solar cells were successfully deposited via a self-designed aerosol-assisted chemical vapor deposition (AACVD). The fabricated solar cell with the configuration of Au/p-C/n-Si/Au achieved efficiency (eta) of 1.72 x 10(-4)% for device deposited at 500 degrees C, 1.24 x 10(-4)% for 450 degrees C, and 0.03 x 10(-4)% for 400 degrees C. Photoresponse characteristic was highlighted under illumination (AM 1.5 illuminations: 100 mW/cm(2), 25 degrees C), where conductivity increased when the sample was being hit by light. Transmittance spectrum exhibits a large transmittance value (>85%) and absorption coefficient value of 10(4) cm(-1) at the visible range from 390 to 790 nm. The nanostructured a-C thin film deposited at higher temperature possesses lower transmittance due to higher absorption as a result of the higher content of sp(2)-bonded carbon atoms. From Tauc's plot, optical band gap (E-g) was determined, and E-g decreased as deposition temperature increased (1.2 eV, 1.0 eV, 0.7 eV). On the other hand, FESEM images exhibited a nanostructured sized a-C with the particle size less than 100 nm. To the best of our knowledge, the presence of nanostructured particle of a-C by a self-prepared AACVD has not frequently been reported.