Property Enhancement of Electrodeposited p-Cu₂O Thin Films via Hydrothermal Ethanol Etching for Solar Cell Applications Supporting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Keywords:
Absorber layer, Copper oxide, Electrodeposition, Hydrothermal ethanol etching, Solar cell, Sustainable development goals, Thin filmAbstract
Electrodeposited p-Cu₂O thin films are promising absorber
layers for sustainable solar cell applications, but their
performance is limited by surface defects, high resistivity,
and poor crystallinity. This study investigates hydrothermal
ethanol etching as a post-deposition treatment to enhance
p-Cu₂O thin films on FTO substrates. The treatment improved
crystallinity, refined pyramidal morphology, increased
visible-light absorption, reduced surface roughness, and
lowered electrical resistivity. These enhancements are
attributed to the removal of disordered surface regions and
resistive secondary phases. The results indicate that
controlled hydrothermal ethanol etching is an effective
strategy for improving electrodeposited p-Cu₂O thin films for
sustainable photovoltaic applications.
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