Integrating Silicon In Armchair Graphene Nanoribbon For Solar Cell Applications

Abstract

Solar power is not only free but also infinite and use of solar energy indeed has many advantages. Thus, solar technologies are greatly studied for producing low cost and better versions of existing devices that can be integrated in the existing photovoltaic (PV) systems. Many such devices like the solar powered curtains and clothes, cases for laptop and other electronic products are being produced. Silicon today is of course being used rapidly as a PV material for solar cell. However, a continuous effort has been made to use graphene for high efficiency solar cell applications and its use. Graphene on the other hand, is not very good at collecting the electrical current produced inside the solar cell but researchers are looking appropriately on this material. Many ways to modify graphene for this purpose are being studied. Solar cell requires semiconductor materials for exhibiting photovoltaic effect. As graphene is zero band gap material, hence, armchair graphene nanoribbons (AGNR) that are semiconducting are being looked up for solar cell applications. Therefore, in this present work, various attempts have been made to investigate the electronic bandgap by using AGNRs in solar cells. The in-depth analysis of electronic properties has been done where band structure, density of states and geometrical stability on the basis of transmission of energy has been examined. Further, AGNR doping with silicon has been performed in which we have replaced the carbon with silicon. Initially, we started with one-silicon atom as a dopant and then went upto 4 silicon as dopant and the variations has been compared. Thus, through this analysis, the use of doped AGNRs in solar cells is investigated.