| Work Detail |
Researchers at IIT Mandi have developed high-quality, uniform thin films of nickel oxide on the silicon substrate using an aerosol-assisted chemical vapor deposition technique, with nickel nitrate as a precursor material.
Highly selective contacts are the key to achieving high efficiency in thin-film solar cells. These contacts allow conduction of one type of carrier (holes) and block other types (electrons).
Nickel oxide (NiO) is an optimal material for selective hole contacts and is widely used in multiple photovoltaic technologies. Nickel oxide films with thicknesses on the order of a nanometer (100,000 times smaller than the width of a human hair) must be produced for use in silicon solar cells of advanced architecture.
However, the current process of developing nanometer-thin nickel oxide membranes by sputtering is very expensive, since the equipment used in its production has to be imported. Precursor components, such as the nickel acetylacetonate used in the development of these membranes, are also extremely expensive. The cost of this technique limits the possibilities of its use.
Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology Mandi (IIT Mandi) have developed a low-cost process to produce ultra-thin films of metal oxides from cheaper starting materials. Specifically, they used an aerosol-assisted chemical vapor deposition technique to deposit a thin film of nickel oxide onto a silicon substrate.
“The aerosol-assisted chemical vapor deposition technique can produce high-quality, uniform thin films on various surfaces, including silicon, by delivering a vapor-phase precursor in the form of an aerosol,” explains researcher Kunal Ghosh, who led the study. “The aerosol allows a wide range of oxide-based materials to be deposited with high precision, making it a versatile and cost-effective method for various applications in materials science and engineering.”
The team used nickel nitrate hexahydrate as the nickel salt and deposition was performed at 550°C for a period of 15 minutes to produce nickel oxide films with a thickness of approximately 15 nanometers. They analyzed the morphology and composition of nickel oxide films produced by various characterization techniques.
The project is still in the early stages of development. However, the technology has the potential to be adopted by the industry. This research will improve the manufacturing process for advanced architecture silicon photovoltaic devices, reducing the cost and complexity of commercial techniques.
“Our research shows that it is possible to develop a cost-effective and scalable process for the production of metal oxide layers for solar cells,” says Ghosh. “This new method has the potential to revolutionize the solar industry by reducing the cost and complexity of current production techniques. Furthermore, as the entire process, including the equipment, is developed in-house, the IP generated will contribute to Indias self-sufficiency in the field of advanced architecture silicon solar cells.” |
