PANI and PEDOT:PSS Dip-Coating on CdS/CdTe Solar Cells*

The ever-increasing importance of solar energy in today’s green initiative creates an immense demand for the continual improvement of photovoltaic technologies, particularly thin film solar cells. The Department of Physics at Seton Hall University wishes to produce a more advanced solar cell by dip-coating high-conductive grade polyaniline (PANI) and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) onto pulsed laser deposited cadmium sulfide/cadmium telluride substrates. In our previous studies, we have determined that depositing and dip-coating these particular substrates and polymers on indium tin oxide glass improves the photovoltaic conversion efficiency due to a reduction of the Schottky barrier resistance. In this study, we focus on optimizing the application of PANI and PEDOT:PSS solutions by experimenting with dip-coating procedures. The thin films are characterized by scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, and ellipsometry techniques. Electrical conductivity tests are also performed using a Keithley SourceMeter, and structure and efficiency results are going to be discussed.