Electrical and Photoelectrical Properties of Nanostructured ZnO Thin Films for Photovoltaic Applications

Abstract

AbstractStructural, electrical and optical characterizations of nanostructured ZnO thin films used as photosensitized electrodes in photovoltaic cells applications are reported. Nanostructured ZnO thin films were deposited on optical glass substrates by pulsed-laser deposition (PLD), their structure and morphology being optimized for photovoltaic applications. Structural analysis of the samples by X-ray diffraction revealed that the films consist of a hexagonal-close-packed wurtzite type phase ZnO, (001) preferentially oriented in the growth direction. The ZnO films are highly transparent in visible region of solar spectrum, and exhibit electrical resistivities in the range 10-4 - 10-2Ω.m