Thermal annealing effects on Graphene/n-Si Schottky junction Solar cell: Removal of PMMA residues

TL;DR

This study investigates how thermal annealing improves graphene/n-Si Schottky junction solar cells by removing PMMA residues, reducing photocurrent leakage, and enhancing stability, thereby increasing efficiency.

Contribution

It provides a detailed analysis of the mechanism by which thermal annealing removes PMMA residues and improves device performance in graphene/n-Si solar cells.

Findings

PMMA residues cause trap states leading to photocurrent leakage.

Thermal annealing effectively removes PMMA residues.

Removal of residues enhances stability and reduces leakage.

Abstract

Thermal annealing is one of most effective way to improve the efficiency of graphene/n-Si Schottky junction solar cell. Here, its underlying mechanism has been investigated by comparative studies in terms of the removal of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) residues, using the J-V characteristics, the transient photocurrent and photovoltage measurements. Experimental results have revealed that there are trap states which are originated from the PMMA residues and cause the large photocurrent leakage as the intensity of the incident light increases. It is also found that the PMMA residues accelerate deterioration and rapidly invalidate hole doping effects. Such undesirable PMMA residues were effectively removed by the thermal annealing treatments, serving to reduce the photocurrent leakage and to increase the stability.