Transparent conducting electrodes (TCEs) play a vital role for the fabrication of solar cells and pivoted almost 50% of the total cost. Recently several materials have been identified as TCEs in solar cell applications. Still, indium tin oxide (ITO) based TCEs have dominated the market due to their outstanding optical transparency and electrical conductivity. However, inadequate availability of indium has increased the price of ITO based TCEs, which attracts the researchers to find alternative materials to make solar technology economical. In this regard, various kinds of conducting materials are available and synthesized worldwide with high electrical conductivity and optical transparency in order to find alternative to ITO based electrodes. Especially, new generation nanomaterials have opened a new window for the fabrication of cost effective TCEs. Carbon nanomaterials such as graphene, carbon nanotubes (CNTs), metal nanowires (MNWs) and metal mesh (MMs) based electrodes especially attracted the scientific community for fabrication of low cost photovoltaic devices. In addition to it, various conducting polymers such as poly (3, 4-ethylene dioxythiophene): poly (styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) based TCEs have also showed their candidacy as an alternative to ITO based TCEs. Thus, the present chapter gives an overview on materials available for the TCEs and their possible use in the field of solar cell technology
Nanotechnology in the Service of Solar Energy Systems
