Abstract:
Smart windows are innovative window systems that are essential for sustainable
building design because they can dynamically modify their transparency and boost
energy efficiency by optimizing natural light, lowering the need for artificial lighting,
and minimizing the strain on heating and cooling systems. An individual smart
window requires very little electrical power to operate; but, if many of these windows
are incorporated into a building, the power requirement may increase dramatically,
resulting in higher costs for building maintenance. In order to incorporate All-Oxides
Solar Cells (AOSCs) on smart windows for self-sustainability, we therefore intend to
explore the prospect of investigating AOSCs as a renewable and continuous source of
electricity during this research project. The foundation of AOSCs is semiconducting,
economically viable solution-processable metal oxides. In contrast to perovskite solar
cells, which need an inert atmosphere to prepare the photoactive layer, the
production of these solar cells can be done in ambient settings. Silicon-based solar
cells, on the other hand, are costly and opaque. Since AOSCs are transparent and
stable against environmental factors, they may be the best choice to incorporate into
smart windows for their self-sustainability. Our goal in this work is to optimize the
Cu2O thin film for Cu2O/TiO2 planar heterojunction AOSC by using it as a photoactive
p-type semiconductor. Under normal device testing protocols, the optimized Cu2O
will be integrated into the ultimate photovoltaic device and tested against achieved
power output. Based on the obtained power output, the experimental demonstration
will be proposed to power a unit area of a given smart window.
