Nanoparticles of Metal Oxide (Bi2O3/PSi/n-Si) for Photovoltaic Applications.

Bismuth oxide (Bi₂O₃) nanoparticles are synthesized and evaluated for their function as materials for solar cells. Bi₂O₃ solution is inexpensively produced from the Nigella sativa seeds using a green synthetic method. The synthesized Bi₂O₃ solution is deposited by droplet casting method, and the synthesized nanofilm is dried at 80°C. Subsequently, diagnostic tests such as UV–VIS, XRD, and FTIR are performed on the Bi₂O₃/glass thin films. By means of the SEM, EDS, AFM, and I–V characteristics in dark and under illumination, the optical and structural characteristics of Bi₂O₃- nanoparticle films are investigated to determine the optical energy gap and crystalline material. X-ray diffraction reveals the presence of a tetragonal crystal system in the phase. The estimated band-gap energy Eg is approximately E_g1 = 3.6 eV, and FTIR analysis shows the degree of infrared absorption as a function of wavelength to demonstrate the presence of functional groups in bismuth-oxide molecules from Bi–O bonds. SEM–EDS morphology studies examine the occurrence of nanocrystals of various shapes and sizes. Finally, as a bulk heterojunction device, the I–V performance of the solar cell (Ag/Bi₂O₃/PSi/Si/Ag) deserves attention, and a fill factor FF= 48 is found for a solar-cell efficiency of 2.8%, ideality factor β= 1.35, characterization resistance R_CH = 175 Ω, and the parallel resistance = 25.14 Ω·s. This cheap nanoparticle material could be an ideal candidate for future energy applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]