Scientists who are going to participate in the project:
Klochko Natalya P., Senior Staff Scientist, PhD,Materials for electronics and solar cells department (MESC), National Technical University «Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute» (NTU «KhPI»);
Kopach Volodymyr R., Associate Professor, PhD, Materials for electronics and solar cells department (MESC), National Technical University «Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute» (NTU «KhPI»);
Khrypunov Gennady S., Professor, Doctor of Technical Sciences, Head of the Materials for electronics and solar cells department (MESC), National Technical University «Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute» (NTU «KhPI»);
Keywords:
zinc oxide, moth-eye effect, solar cell, pulsed electrodeposition, one-dimensional array;
Abstract:
Zinc oxide (ZnO) is a promising material for the fabrication of functional thin film layers for device structures of a new generation for optoelectronics, including photovoltaic devices. It possesses unique optical and electrophysical properties as well as propensity to form filamentous one-dimensional submicron structures and hierarchical nanostructures with developed surface and projected superhydrophobicity with self-cleaning effect. Large scale use of the nanosized zinc oxide layers is hindered by the lack of the economical and well-adapted for the mass production technology of zinc oxide nanostructures with a given crystal structure and physical properties. From the perspective of large-scale industrial implementation the well-managed, high-performance, cost-effective method of ZnO electrochemical cathodic deposition from aqueous solutions has no competitors. At the same time the study of zinc oxide nanostructures obtained by this method are singular; the proposed parameters for the formation of zinc oxide one-dimensional and hierarchical nanostructures are contradictory and have a wide spread. It is proposed an optimization of the pulsed electrodeposition process for the manufacture of nanoscale ZnO arrays with a given morphology and the formation of one-dimentional electrodes for extra thin absorber solar cells (ETA-SCs). In addition, an optimization of pulsed electrodeposition of zinc oxide arrays will be carried out to adjust the size of their parabolic nanonipples for the implementation as antireflection coatings with moth-eye effect on various substrates and for the creating superhydrophobic ZnO arrays with self-cleaning effect.
Project Idea
Zinc oxide is the subject of intense research of scientists working in the fields of optoelectronics, solar energy, catalysis and nanosensors due to their unique optical and electrical properties as well as propensity to form filamentous one- dimensional (1D) submicron structures and hierarchical nanostructures. Along with expensive methods for the fabrication of nanostructured zinc oxide arrays, the well-managed, high-performance and low-cost ZnO electrochemical cathodic deposition in aqueous solutions has gained increased interest. Scientific novelty of the project is the implementation of a pulsed electrodeposition method for the synthesis of zinc oxide nanostructures with a specific morphology and with controlled structural and substructural characteristics, optical and electrical properties required for the use in extra thin absorber solar cells (ETA-SCs) and for a creation of superhydrophobic self-cleaning surfaces and antireflection coatings with moth-eye effect for solar cells of different types. To implement this task the modification of ZnO pulsed electrodeposition process by varying parameters such as pulse potentials, duty cycles, pulse repetition frequency, temperature and composition of the electrolyte during the electrodeposition will be undertaken. Studies of the structure, electrical and optical properties as well as surface morphology of zinc oxide arrays, including ZnO arrays covered by own electrodeposited extra thin absorber, will be used to create stable and efficient ETA-SCs of a new generation.
A list of organizations that are ready to join the project (if any)
N. Zhukovsky National Aerospace University “Kharkiv Aviation Institute”; Ukraine and National Taras Shevchenko University, Kyiv, Ukraine are already involved.
Scientific novelty:
Pulsed electrochemical deposition of zinc oxide one-dimensional arrays and hierarchical nanostructures is proposed as economical and well-adapted for mass production technology of zinc oxide nanostructures with a given crystal structure and physical properties. It possesses creation of antireflection coatings with moth-eye effect based on nanoscale ZnO arrays and development of superhydrophobic self-cleaning ZnO coatings. The possibility to develop planar monolayer antireflection coatings or nanostructured zinc oxide arrays with certain crystal structure and optical properties having the form of hexagonal prisms or demonstrating the moth eye effect on transparent conductive tin dioxide substrates and on silicon wafers with built homojunctions will implement antireflection coatings with moth eye effect on various surfaces. Optimized structural and substructural parameters of zinc oxide arrays of (phase composition, texture, lattice parameters, the size of coherent scattering regions, microtensions, residual stresses); modified electrical properties of ZnO arrays (conductivity type, electrical resistivity, activation energy of conductivity); improved optical characteristics (diffuse and specular reflectance in the visible and infrared range and in a wide range of angles of incidence of light; light transmission in the visible and infrared range; haze factor in the visible range; absorption coefficients depending on the wavelength; band gap; Urbach energy) will be obtained. Optimization of the pulsed electrodeposition process provides the manufacture of nanosized ZnO arrays with given morphology, including hierarchical nanostructures, and the formation of electrodes for extra thin absorber solar cells (ETA-SCs). The development of ETA-SCs will be completed by own electrodeposited photosensitive semiconductor extra thin layer and by the formation of auxiliary layers.
List of the most significant publications in the international journals included in the Scopus database (if any):
1. E. I. Sokol, I.I. Tyukhov, N.P. Klochko, G.S. Khrypunov, Y.O. Myagchenko, E.E. Melnychuk, V.R. Kopach, O.V. Momotenko, K.S. Klepikova, V.M. Lyubov, A.V. Kopach. Pulse plating of semiconductors for solar cells // Solar Energy, 2014, V. 105, July, рр. 373–380.
2. E.I. Sokol, N.P. Klochko, G.S. Khrypunov, V.R. Kopach, K.S. Klepikova, V.M. Lyubov, A.V. Kopach, Y.O. Myagchenko, E.E. Melnychuk .Electrochemical Design of Zinc Oxide Arrays for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells //2013 IEEE XXXIII International Scientific Conference «ELECTRONICS AND NANOTECHNOLOGY»(ELNANO) conference proceedings, April 16-19, 2013,Kyiv, Ukraine, рр. 28-32.
3. N. P. Klochko, Y. O. Myagchenko, E. E. Melnychuk, V. R. Kopach, E. S. Klepikova, V. N. Lyubov, G. S. Khrypunov, A. V. Kopach. Prospects for the Pulsed Electrodeposition of Zinc-Oxide Hierarchical Nanostructures // Semiconductors, 2013, Vol. 47, No. 8, pp. 1123–1129.
4. Klochko N.P., Khrypunov G.S., Myagchenko Yu.O., Melnychuk E.E., Kopach V.R., Klepikova K.S., Lyubov V.M., and Kopach A.V. Electrodeposited zinc oxide arrays with the moth-eye effect // Semiconductors – 2014. – V. 48. – № 4. – P. 531-537.
Expected results:
Pulsed electrochemical deposition of zinc oxide one-dimensional arrays and hierarchical nanostructures. Creation of antireflection coatings with moth-eye effect based on nanoscale ZnO arrays. Development of superhydrophobic self-cleaning ZnO coatings. Use of one-dimensional and hierarchical nanoscale zinc oxide arrays in extra thin absorber solar cells as photovoltaic devices of a new generation.
Contacts:
Klochko Natalya, Senior Staff Scientist, PhD, Materials for electronics and solar cells department (MESC), National Technical University “Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute”, 21, Frunze str., 61002 Kharkiv, Ukraine
Correspondent Address 61070, Acad. Proskura str., 10, Apt.8, Kharkiv, Ukraine
Email: klochko_np@mail.ru
Phone: +380973916406