An 8% efficient layered Schottky‐barrier solar cell

An 8.1% efficient 1‐cm² Schottky‐barrier solar cell has been fabricated in our laboratory using a layered Schottky barrier on <100> 2‐Ω cm p‐type silicon. Reproducible results have been obtained on the layered structure which involves 44‐Å Cr adjacent to the silicon to obtain good photovoltaic voltage and a 58‐Å Cu overlayer to decrease cell resistance. The layered structure provides good control of barrier height, resistance, and optical transmission. Application of this approach should produce a 15% efficient Schottky solar cell and be readily applied to thin‐film silicon solar cells when high‐quality thin silicon films have been developed.