An 8% efficient layered Schottky-barrier solar cell

An 8.1% efficient 1-cm² Schottky-barrier solar cell has been fabricated in our laboratory using a layered Schottky barrier on <100> 2-Ω cm p-type silicon. Reproducible results have been obtained on the layered structure which involves 44-Å Cr adjacent to the silicon to obtain good photovoltaic voltage and a 58-Å Cu overlayer to decrease cell resistance. The layered structure provides good control of barrier height, resistance, and optical transmission. Application of this approach should produce a 15% efficient Schottky solar cell and be readily applied to thin-film silicon solar cells when high-quality thin silicon films have been developed.