This thesis studies networks of silver nanowires as a transparent conducting electrode material and presents an investigation into the relationship between electrical and optical properties in the networks. The work focusses on two main aspects: the production of networks via different deposition methods; and the development of a predictive model based on theory that relates the sheet resistance to the optical transmittance. The deposition methods of drop-casting, bar-coating and spray-coating are used to create networks and the randomness of these networks is compared using image analysis in ImageJ, a public domain image processing program, and Wolfram Mathematica, a computer algebra program. It is determined that spray-coating results in the most random networks, therefore all subsequent experiments are carried out using this as the deposition method. Annealing condition tests are carried out on the nanowire networks to determine the optimal annealing conditions required to burn off poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) remaining from the nanowire synthesis process and sinter the nanowire junctions to improve network conductivity. The sheet resistances and optical transmittances of the networks are measured and compared to networks created by other research groups. It is found that the networks created in this study exhibited similar optical and electrical properties to those in the literature, obtaining Rs = 100 Ω/sq for T = 81%.The developed model is based on theory and relates the sheet resistance to the optical transmittance using only the length and width of the nanowires used in the network and the mean network coverage as variables. The model can be used to predict the properties of a network if these factors are known. The model is compared with experimental data both from this study and from the literature, along with simulated data from the literature that was obtained by Monte Carlo methods. It is shown that there is an excellent fit between the model and all data that it is compared with. It is demonstrated that < 1% of the network coverage is greater than 2 for typical nanowire networks, proving that the networks are two-dimensional and therefore do not require a bulk regime to describe the relationship, as has been suggested in prior work.

Among the alternatives to conventional Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) used in making transparent conducting electrodes, the random metal nanowire (NW) networks are considered to be superior offering performance at par with ITO. The performance is measured in terms of sheet resistance and optical transmittance. However, as the electrical properties of such random networks are achieved thanks to a percolation network, a minimum size of the electrodes is needed so it actually exceeds the representative volume element (RVE) of the material and the macroscopic electrical properties are achieved. There is not much information about the compatibility of this minimum RVE size with the resolution actually needed in electronic devices. Furthermore, the efficiency of NWs in terms of electrical conduction is overlooked. In this work, we address the above industrially relevant questions - 1) The minimum size of electrodes that can be made based on the dimensions of NWs and the material coverage. For this, we propose a morphology based classification in defining the RVE size and we also compare the same with that is based on macroscopic electrical properties stabilization. 2) The amount of NWs that do not participate in electrical conduction, hence of no practical use. The results presented in this thesis are a design guide to experimentalists to design transparent electrodes with more optimal usage of the material.

A simple cost-effective approach was proposed and successfully employed to fabricate high-quality screen-printed (SP) contacts to high sheet-resistance emitters (100 ohm/sq) to improve the Si solar cell efficiency. Device modeling was used to quantify the performance enhancement possible from the high sheet-resistance emitter for various cell designs. It was found that for performance enhancement from the high sheet-resistance emitter, certain cell design criteria must be satisfied. Model calculations showed that in order to achieve any performance enhancement over the conventional ~40 ohm/sq emitter, the high sheet resistance emitter solar cell must have a reasonably good (120,000 cm/s) or low front-surface recombination velocity (FSRV). Model calculations were also performed to establish requirements for high fill factors (FFs). The results showed that the series resistance should be less than 0.8 ohm-cm^2, the shunt resistance should be greater than 1000 ohm-cm^2, and the junction leakage current should be less than 25 nA/cm^2. Analytical microscopy and surface analysis techniques were used to study the Ag-Si contact interface of different SP Ag pastes. Physical and electrical properties of SP Ag thick-film contacts were studied and correlated to understand and achieve good-quality ohmic contacts to high sheet-resistance emitters for solar cells. This information was then used to define the criteria for high-quality screen-printed contacts. The role of paste constituents and firing scheme on contact quality were investigated to tailor the high-quality screen-printed contact interface structure that results in high performance solar cells. Results indicated that small particle size, high glass transition temperature, rapid firing and less aggressive glass frit help in producing high-quality contacts. Based on these results high-quality SP contacts with high FFs0.78 on high sheet-resistance emitters were achieved for the first time using a simple single-step firing process. This technology was applied to different substrates (monocrystalline and multicrystalline) and surfaces (textured and planar). Cell efficiencies of ~16.2% on low-cost EFG ribbon substrates were achieved on high sheet-resistance emitters with SP contacts. A record high-efficiency SP solar cell of 19% with textured high sheet-resistance emitter was also fabricated and modeled.

The subject of this diploma thesis is the preparation of conductive structures by electroless plating of an extruded precursor. The experimental part deals with the preparation of standard patterns based on the length of immersion time in a coppering bath. The precursor layers were applied with Fujifilm Dimatix to various receiver substrates. The individual substrates with the precursor layer were immersed in the copper solution within different time intervals. The structure of the layers of grown copper and their thickness was characterized by a profilometer.

No description available.

Transparent conducting oxide (TCOs) thin films, including non-stoichiometric tin doped indium oxide (ITO) and aluminium doped zinc oxide (AZO), have found considerable applications in various displays, solar cells, and electrochromic devices, due to their unique combination of high electrical conductivity and optical transparency. TCO thin films are normally fabricated by sputtering, thermal vapour deposition and sol-gel method. Among them, sol-gel processing, which was employed in this project, is no doubt the simplest and cheapest processing method, The main objectives of this project were to produce indium tin oxides (ITO) and zinc aluminium oxides (AZO) nanoparticles with controlled particle size and morphology and to fabricate TCO thin films with high optical transmittance and electrical conductivity. In this research, hydrothermal method was used to synthesise ITO and AZO nanoparticles. Tin oxides, zinc oxides, ITO and AZO particles with the particle size ranging from 10 nm to several micrometers and different morphologies were synthesised through controlling the starting salts, alkaline solvents and hydrothermal treatment conditions. ITO and AZO thin films were fabricated via sol-gel technique through dip coating method. The effects of the starting salts, alkaline solvents, surfactant additives and coating and calcination conditions on the formation of thin films were investigated. XRD, TEM, FEG-SEM, DSC-TGA, UV-Vis spectrometer and four-point probe resistance meter were used to characterise the crystallinity, particle size, morphology, optical transmittance and sheet resistance of the particles and thin films. Crack-free thin films with high optical transmittance (>80% at 550 nm) and low sheet resistances (2.11 kΩ for ITO and 26.4 kΩ for AZO) were obtained in optimised processing conditions.

Infrared detector technologies have been developing each day. Thermal detectors take great attention in commercial applications due to their low power consumption and low costs. The active material selection and the deposition of the material are highly important performance effective factors for microbolometer detector applications. In that sense, developing vanadium oxide (VOx) microbolometer active material by sol-gel method might be feasible approach to achieve good performance microbolometer detectors. In this study, vanadium oxide thin films are prepared by sol-gel method is deposited on silicon or silicon nitride wafers as active material by spin coating. The films are annealed under different hydrogen concentration of H2/N2 environments at 410

Transparent electrodes (TEs) have become important components of displays, touch screens, and solar photovoltaic (PV) energy conversion devices. As electrodes, they must be electrically conductive while being transparent. Transparent materials are normally poor conductors and materials with high electrical conductivity, such as metals, are typically not transparent. From the few candidate materials, indium tin oxide (ITO) is currently the best available, but indium is an expensive material and ITO cost has risen with increasing demand. Therefore, alternative materials or methods are sought to encourage production needs of applications and help in reducing their price. This thesis presents and discusses results of experimental work for a method, field-directed chaining, to produce a TE device which is nanowire-based, with a figure of merit FoM= 2.39 x10E-4 Ohm E-1, comparable to ITO but with potential for far lower cost. Using electric field-directed chaining, multiple parallel long chains of metal nanowires are assembled on inexpensive transparent materials such as glass by field directed nanowire chaining, using methods first demonstrated in our laboratory. In this work, we have improved the fraction of functional chains, by tuning the field/voltage, a key step in increasing the FoM and lowering the cost. The effect of operating parameters on TE optical and electrical properties has been studied and identified as well. From experiments with twenty seven substrates, each with a range of electric field and nanowire concentration, the highest light transmission achieved is 78% and the lowest sheet resistance achieved is 100 Ohm/sq. Among all the operating parameters, the electric field has the most significant influence on the fraction of nanowire chains that are functional. In the operating range of electric field strength available to us, we observed a monotonic increase in the fraction of functional nanowire chains. We found a counter-intuitive change in TE properties in a sub-range of nanowire concentration, associated with a change in the structure of chained patterns. / Graduate

Optically transparent carbon based nanomaterials including graphene and carbon nanotubes(CNTs) are promising candidates as transparent conductive electrodes due to their high electrical conductivity coupled with high optical transparency, can be flexed several times with minimal deterioration in their electronic properties, and do not require costly high vacuum processing conditions. CNTs are easily solution processed through the use of surfactants sodium dodecyl sulfate(SDS) and sodium cholate(SC). Allowing CNTs to be deposited onto transparent substrates through vacuum filtration, ultrasonic spray coating, dip coating, spin coating, and inkjet printing. However, surfactants are electrically insulating, limit chemical doping, and increase optical absorption thereby decreasing overall performance of electrodes. Surfactants can be removed through nitric acid treatment and annealing in an inert environment (e.g. argon). In this thesis, the impact of surfactant removal on electrode performance was investigated. Nitric acid treatment has been shown to p-dope CNTs and remove the surfactant SDS. However, nitric acid p-doping is naturally dedoped with exposure to air, does not completely remove the surfactant SC, and has been shown to damage CNTs by creating defect sites. Annealing at temperatures up to 1000°C is advantageous in that it removes insulating surfactants. However, annealing may also remove surface functional groups that dope CNTs. Therefore, there are competing effects when annealing CNT electrodes. The impacts on electrode performance were investigated through the use of conductive-tip atomic force microscopy, sheet resistance, and transmittance measurements. In this thesis, the potential of graphene CNT composite electrodes as high performing transparent electrodes was investigated. As-made and annealed graphene oxide CNT composites electrodes were studied. Finally, a chemical vapor deposition grown graphene CNT composite electrode was also studied.

This thesis is focused on the description of the method of reactive sputtering of thin films. Currently, there are many ways how to create thin films and there are many applications of thin films in various industrial sectors. In this paper at the first are listed the issue of thin films, followed by an overview of the deposition techniques and of the chemical analysis of deposited thin films. It also describes the four-point measurement method of sheet resistance, mechanical test of adhesion and optical properties. At the end of the theoretical part are described the material composition of the deposited films. The goal of the practical part is to optimize the deposition process of the mixed layer of indium tin oxide (In2O3: SnO2) and contribute to the overall understanding of the influence of annealing on the layer. There were created six series of samples with that applied layers. First, the work focused on examining of the influence of annealing on the throughput in the whole measuring range, and then comparing the series due to the transmittance in the visible light spectrum. Furthermore were compared the value of sheet resistance of unannealed and subsequently annealed samples.