Research on low-cost and high-efficiency pn hetero- and homojunction Cu2O-based solar cells

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K04945
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 29020:Thin film/surface and interfacial physical properties-related
• Research Institution: Kanazawa Institute of Technology
• Principal Investigator: Miyata Toshihiro 金沢工業大学, 工学部, 教授 (30257448)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 太陽電池 / 酸化物半導体 / 薄膜

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The results of this research are summarized as follows.
In the search for new i-type or n-type semiconductor materials, the relationship between the type of semiconductor layer and photoelectric conversion　characteristics was clarified based on Zn-Ge-O semiconductor thin films.However, we could not find a material with a conversion efficiency exceeding 10% among the above materials.
(2) Charge control of Cu2O sheets and advancement of n-type semiconductor thin film deposition technology.We were able to achieve low-resistivity Cu2O sheets by heat treatment in an atmosphere such as a compound containing Na. In addition, in chemical deposition techniques such as the PLD method and the sol-gel method, we were able to establish a basic control technique for the interface state of semiconductor thin film/Cu2O sheet.

Free Research Field

酸化物半導体

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本質的に極めて低コストでの製造が可能なCu2O系太陽電池開発において、ヘテロ接合のための新規なn型及びi型半導体薄膜材料の特性を明らかにし、かつ、我々の独自技術である高品質Cu2Oシートの全く新規な荷電子制御技術を提案、実現できたことは、今後のCu2O系太陽電池のこう変換効率化ために学術的意義は極めて大きい。同時に実用化に向けての社会的意義も大きいと考えらる。しかしながら、研究計画で予定していたCu２Oホモ接合を実現するためのn形Cu2O薄膜の開発及び大面積化技術開発への挑戦がコロナウイルス感染症の影響による研究環境の激変のため、達成できなかったことは今後の課題と考える。