Silicon nanowire array/polymer hybrid solar cell incorporating carbon nanotubes

Here we present a simple and novel approach of fabricating three dimensional (3D) n-Si nanowires (NWs) and poly(3-octylthiophene) hybrid solar cells incorporating carbon nanotubes (CNTs). Vertically aligned n-Si NWs arrays were fabricated by electroless chemical etching of a n-Si [1 1 1] wafer. n-Si NWs/poly(3-octylthiophene) hybrid solar cells were fabricated with and without functionalized CNTs incorporation. Fabricated solar cells incorporating CNTs show open circuit voltage (V_oc), short circuit current density (J_sc) fill factor (FF) and conversion efficiency as 0.353, 7.85 mA cm⁻², 22% and 0.61%, respectively. In fabricated devices n-Si NWs arrays form multiple heterojunctions with the polymer and provide efficient electron collection and transportation, whereas CNTs provide efficient hole transportation.