Fabrication of the CuO/Cu₂O heterojunction using an electrodeposition technique for solar cell applications

Abstract

Thin films of n-type cuprous oxide (Cu2O) were potentiostatically electrodeposited on a Ti substrate in an acetate bath. Cu2O thin films were annealed at 500 °C for 30 min in air for growing p-type cupric oxide (CuO) thin films. n-Cu2O thin films were potentiostatically electrodeposited in an acetate bath on Ti/CuO electrodes in order to fabricate the p-CuO/n-Cu2O heterojunction. The structural, morphological and optoelectronic properties of the CuO/Cu2O heterojunction were studied using x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron micrographs (SEMs) and dark and light current–voltage characteristics. XRD and SEM reveal that well-covered single phase polycrystalline Cu2O thin film on the Ti/CuO electrode can be possible at the deposition potential of −550 mV versus the saturated calomel electrode (SCE) in an acetate bath. Photovoltaic characteristics further established the formation of the CuO/Cu2O heterojunction.