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Photoelectric Properties of n-ZnO/p-Si Heterostructures

  • SOLAR ENGINEERING MATERIALS SCIENCE
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Abstract—

The synthesis of a ZnO metal oxide film on the surface of KDB-20 silicon was carried out. It was determined that the crystallographic direction of the used silicon has the (100) orientation. The optimal conditions for obtaining thin ZnO films have been determined by the method of spray pyrolysis of sol–gel technology. It was found that ZnO metal oxide films have a hexagonal system and a wurtzite crystal structure with parameters a = 0.4989 nm and c = 0.8342 nm, with the nanocrystallite size of 67 nm. Investigation of the current–voltage (IV) characteristics of n-ZnO/p-Si heterostructures at illumination E = 0 Lx and E = 1000 Lx determined that the forward branch of the IV characteristics has an exponential interval of current versus voltage. The effect of the concentration of deep impurities on the exponential section of the current–voltage characteristic has been studied. The obtained results are interpreted within the framework of the theory of the effect of injection depletion of carriers of the pn junction. The photoluminescence spectrum of the n‑ZnO/p-Si heterojunction has a maximum at λmax = 377 nm and covers a wide band in the optical range. This makes it possible to determine the most optimal regime for growing the ordered structure of the ZnO film on the silicon surface, which ensures growth with practically no defect structure. Determining the possibility of using synthesized heterostructures in solar energy and optoelectronics as photodetectors, the new possibilities of using metal oxide n-ZnO films in photovoltaic converters are noted. The film production technology is environmentally friendly, affordable, and cost effective. It was also noted that these metal oxides are promising for their use in the detection of visible and ultraviolet light.

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Funding

The work was supported by the Committee on the coordination and development of science and technology of the Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan (grant no. F2-68).

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Correspondence to A. Y. Boboev.

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Zainabidinov, S.Z., Boboev, A.Y., Makhmudov, K.A. et al. Photoelectric Properties of n-ZnO/p-Si Heterostructures. Appl. Sol. Energy 57, 475–479 (2021). https://doi.org/10.3103/S0003701X21060177

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.3103/S0003701X21060177

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