Chemical origin of the space-charge layer in cuprous oxide front-wall solar cells

Abstract

Using Auger electron spectroscopy, the region near the front contact of cuprous oxide front-wall solar cells was investigated. In cells showing large photovoltages, a maximum of the copper concentration being by about 4 at.% percent higher than the bulk concentration was observed at a distance of 70 Å from the metal-semiconductor interface. If the photovoltage was low a copper maximum adjacent to the interfacial layer was found, instead. It is concluded that changes of the stoichiometry of cuprous oxide must be taken into account in order to explain the origin of the space-charge layer in Cu2O front-wall cells.