Fabrication of solar cell using titanium, zinc, carbon and gold nanoparticles

Abstract

Gold, titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, and carbon nanoparticles each have characteristics that can be used as the active, electron transport, and hole transport layer in a solar cell. Nanoparticle based solar cells have emerged as a good substitute for silicon solar cells. They cost lower to manufacture, as compared to producing solar cells with crystalline semiconductor material. This is because the nanoparticles can be synthesised at room temperature, while silicon solar cells need to be made using high temperature vacuum deposition method. In this research, the nanoparticles will be synthesised using submerged glow discharge plasma. After synthesis, the nanoparticle products were analysed using scanning electron microscopy to determine their size and shape. The solar cell will then be fabricated in multiple configurations. Testing on these multiple solar cells will be done under direct sunlight to determine if the cells work and how each material affects the cell.