Nanowire CdS-CdTe Solar Cells with Molybdenum Oxide as Contact

Using a 10 nm thick molybdenum oxide (MoO(3−x)) layer as a transparent and low barrier contact to p-CdTe, we demonstrate nanowire CdS-CdTe solar cells with a power conversion efficiency of 11% under front side illumination. Annealing the as-deposited MoO(3) film in N(2) resulted in a reduction of the cell’s series resistance, from 9.97 Ω/cm(2) to 7.69 Ω/cm(2), and increase in efficiency from 9.9% to 11%. Under illumination from the back, the MoO(3−x)/Au side, the nanowire solar cells yielded J(sc) of 21 mA/cm(2) and efficiency of 8.67%. Our results demonstrate use of a thin layer transition metal oxide as a potential way for a transparent back contact to nanowire CdS-CdTe solar cells. This work has implications toward enabling a novel superstrate structure nanowire CdS-CdTe solar cell on Al foil substrate by a low cost roll-to roll fabrication process.