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A Novel Buffering Technique for Aqueous Processing of Zinc Oxide Nanostructures and Interfaces, and Corresponding Improvement of Electrodeposited ZnO-Cu2O Photovoltaics

  1. Kevin P. Musselman1,*,
  2. Andrew Marin1,
  3. Andreas Wisnet3,
  4. Christina Scheu3,
  5. Judith L. MacManus-Driscoll1,*,
  6. Lukas Schmidt-Mende2,*

Article first published online: 7 DEC 2010

DOI: 10.1002/adfm.201001956

Issue

Advanced Functional Materials

Advanced Functional Materials

Volume 21, Issue 3, pages 573–582, February 8, 2011

Additional Information

How to Cite

Musselman, K. P., Marin, A., Wisnet, A., Scheu, C., MacManus-Driscoll, J. L. and Schmidt-Mende, L. (2011), A Novel Buffering Technique for Aqueous Processing of Zinc Oxide Nanostructures and Interfaces, and Corresponding Improvement of Electrodeposited ZnO-Cu2O Photovoltaics. Adv. Funct. Mater., 21: 573–582. doi: 10.1002/adfm.201001956

Author Information

  1. 1

    Department of Materials Science, University of Cambridge, Pembroke St., Cambridge, CB2 3QZ, UK

  2. 2

    Department of Physics and Center for NanoScience (CeNS), Ludwig-Maximilians University, Amalienstr. 54, D-80799 Munich, Germany

  3. 3

    Department of Chemistry, Ludwig-Maximilians University, Butenandtstr. 11, Haus E, 81377 Munich, Germany

*Department of Materials Science, University of Cambridge, Pembroke St., Cambridge, CB2 3QZ, UK

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 4 FEB 2011
  2. Article first published online: 7 DEC 2010
  3. Manuscript Received: 16 SEP 2010

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Keywords:

  • zinc oxide;
  • anodic alumina;
  • electrodeposition;
  • impedance spectroscopy;
  • photovoltaic

Abstract

A novel buffering method is presented to improve the stability of zinc oxide processed in aqueous solutions. By buffering the aqueous solution with a suitable quantity of sacrificial zinc species, the dissolution of functional zinc oxide structures and the formation of unwanted impurities can be prevented. The method is demonstrated for ZnO films and nanowires processed in aqueous solutions used for the selective etching of mesoporous anodic alumina templates and the electrochemical deposition of Cu2O. In both cases, improved ZnO stability is observed with the buffering method. ZnO-Cu2O heterojunction solar cells (bilayer and nanowire cells) synthesized using both traditional and buffered deposition methods are characterized by impedance spectroscopy and solar simulation measurements. Buffering the Cu2O deposition solution is found to reduce unwanted recombination at the heterojunction and improve the photovoltaic performance.

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