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All-carbon nanotube diode and solar cell statistically formed from macroscopic network

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Abstract

Schottky diodes and solar cells are statistically created in the contact area between two macroscopic films of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) at the junction of semiconducting and quasi-metallic bundles consisting of several high quality tubes. The n-doping of one of the films allows for photovoltaic action, owing to an increase in the built-in potential at the bundle-to-bundle interface. Statistical analysis demonstrates that the Schottky barrier device contributes significantly to the I-V characteristics, compared to the p-n diode. The upper limit of photovoltaic conversion efficiency has been estimated at ∼20%, demonstrating that the light energy conversion is very efficient for such a unique solar cell. While there have been multiple studies on rectifying SWNT diodes in the nanoscale environment, this is the first report of a macroscopic all-carbon nanotube diode and solar cell.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, 100 Novaya str., Skolkovo, Moscow Region, 143025, Russia

    Albert G. Nasibulin

  2. Department of Material Science, Saint-Petersburg State Polytechnical University, Polytechnicheskaya 29, 195251, Saint-Petersburg, Russia

    Albert G. Nasibulin

  3. Department of Applied Physics, Aalto University School of Science, Puumiehenkuja 2, 00076, Espoo, Finland

    Albert G. Nasibulin, Adinath M. Funde & Ilya V. Anoshkin

  4. School of Energy Studies, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Ganeshkhind, Pune, 411007, India

    Adinath M. Funde

  5. Department of Chemistry, University of Rhode, Island, RI, 02881, USA

    Igor A. Levitsky

  6. Emitech, Inc., Fall River, MA, 02720, USA

    Igor A. Levitsky

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  1. Albert G. Nasibulin
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  2. Adinath M. Funde
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  3. Ilya V. Anoshkin
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  4. Igor A. Levitsky
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Correspondence to Albert G. Nasibulin or Igor A. Levitsky.

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Nasibulin, A.G., Funde, A.M., Anoshkin, I.V. et al. All-carbon nanotube diode and solar cell statistically formed from macroscopic network. Nano Res. 8, 2800–2809 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-015-0785-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-015-0785-z

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