Highly stable semitransparent solar cell employing graphene/WS2/LaVO3 vertical-heterostructure

Abstract

Semi-transparent (ST) solar cells are attracting a lot of attention among researchers as they can effectively utilize solar energy in various fields such as building-integrated solar power generation and portable solar chargers. Here, we introduce an ST solar cell composed of triethylenetetramine (TETA)-doped graphene (Gr), WS₂, and LaVO₃. The device not only harvests solar energy thanks to its high light absorption in the ultraviolet-visible range but is also translucent due to its thin film composition. The photovoltaic parameters and average visible transmittance (AVT) of TETA-Gr/WS₂/LaVO₃ solar cells are highly dependent on the LaVO₃ film thickness (t). Considering the correlation between efficiency and visual effects, the device has power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 5.07% and 35% AVT at t = 200 nm, suggesting that it is suitable for ST solar cells. To maximize the translucent properties of the device, the PCE of the device was further improved to 5.64% by using an Al reflective mirror. The durability of the cell was confirmed to maintain 91 and 84% of the original PCE even under continuous illumination of 1 Sun at 60 °C temperature (T_a) and 30% relative humidity (RH) and 80 °C T_a/50% RH for 1000 h.