Wiring-up carbon single wall nanotubes to polycrystalline inorganic semiconductor thin films: low-barrier, copper-free back contact to CdTe solar cells.

Phillips, Adam B; Khanal, Rajendra R; Song, Zhaoning; Zartman, Rosa M; DeWitt, Jonathan L; Stone, Jon M; Roland, Paul J; Plotnikov, Victor V et al. · Nano Lett · 2013

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

We have discovered that films of carbon single wall nanotubes (SWNTs) make excellent back contacts to CdTe devices without any modification to the CdTe surface. Efficiencies of SWNT-contacted devices are slightly higher than otherwise identical devices formed with standard Au/Cu back contacts. The SWNT layer is thermally stable and easily applied with a spray process, and SWNT-contacted devices show no signs of degradation during accelerated life testing.