Improved performance of a SWCNT/ZnO nanostructure-integrated silicon thin-film solar cell: role of annealing temperature

Efficiency improvement of heterogeneous silicon thin-film solar cells (SiTFSCs) remains challenging. Thus, single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) and zinc oxide nanostructures (ZnO NCs) were integrated into Si thin films using the spray-spin coating approach to realize such solar cells. The effect of various annealing temperatures (100–175 °C) on the solar cells’ efficiency, structure, morphology, and absorbance was assessed. X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed the existence of highly crystalline wurtzite and hexagonal structures corresponding to ZnO and graphite with maximum nanocrystallite sizes of 51.92 nm. Scanning electron microscopy images of the samples showed uniform surface morphology without any aggregation. In addition, with the increase of the annealing temperature from 100 to 175 °C, the efficiency, porosity, optical absorbance bands, and band gap energy of the films were increased from 17.0–18.6%, 70–74.8%, 246–326 nm, and 2.0–2.5 eV, respectively. It was asserted that by controlling the annealing temperature, the overall performance of the proposed SWCNT/ZnO NC-integrated SiTFSC can be enhanced, contributing to the further advancement of high-performance Si-based photovoltaics.