Enhance Photocurrent of Cu/n-Cu2O/p-CuI Solid State Solar Cell Using Bamboo Activated Carbon (BAC) as Upper-Electrode

Bamboo is a natural vegetable fibre originated from the tropical and sub-tropical countries. In this research, alkaline-bio scoured raw bamboo fibre powder was subjected to alkaline one step pyrolysis activation by using KOH. The bamboo carbon powder was fed into a tube furnace with a ramping rate of 10°C min^-1 until the temperature reached at 360°C and dwell time 15 min for N₂ atmosphere. Subsequently they were cooled to room temperature. A thin film of n-Cu₂O was fabricated by boiling a well cleaned Copper sheet in a 5x10^-3M CuSO4 solution inside an ultrasonic bath at 60°C for 50 min. There after thin layer of colloidal CuI was deposited on the n-Cu₂O layer. BAC was placed on n-Cu₂O/p-CuI and ITO conductive glass plate was placed to fabricate Cu/ Cu₂O/BAC/ITO solid state photovoltaic cell. BAC acts as an upper electrode; separate photo generated charge carriers and enhanced photocurrent. Mean Particle size distribution curves, Absorption spectra, Photocurrent action spectra and time development of photocurrent were used from this study.