Hybrid, chemically passivated n-type silicon/PEDOT:PSS semiconductor-insulator-semiconductor solar cell

We describe a hybrid inorganic-organic solar cell, wherein the n-Si absorber interface is chemically passivated and electrically contacted by a conductive polymer, PEDOT:PSS. In this structure, which is completely fabricated from its components at room temperature, the Si is type-inverted at the hybrid interface with the polymer, thus effectively creating an SIS type solar cell without any significant insulating film. For moderately doped Si, the surface is strongly inverted and photogenerated current is being collected from the entire area of the solar cell. The good lateral conduction of minority carriers in the inversion layer helps to mitigate a major limitation of PEDOT:PSS, viz. its high sheet resistance.