The unique crystal structure of two-dimensional graphene possess excellent electrical and optical properties. Graphene has high electron mobility (2105 cm2/Vs) and conductivity (106 S/m), which favor the rapid collection of photo-generated electrons; graphene has high degree of transparency in the visible and near-infrared region, its transmittance reach up to 97.7%, favor to realize a wide spectrum transmittance, which can make photovoltaic cells absorb and utilized solar energy efficiently. Thus, graphene has broad application prospects in the field of photovoltaic devices. Since 2009, our group (Research group of optoelectronic conversion materials and photovoltaic devices) has been committed to exploring the preparation of high-quality graphene and research applications in the photovoltaic devices. We first demonstrated graphene transparent conductive films prepared using atmospheric CVD method, as the transparent electrode in the cadmium telluride (CdTe) solar cells; Based on high electron mobility and electrical conductivity of 3Dgraphene network structure, we first used the 3D graphene network as a back electrode to apply to the CdTe solar cell, and the corresponding efficiency is much higher than that of conventional graphite paste back electrode. Meanwhile, the network structure of 3D graphene composite with copper nanowire, and as a back electrode, the CdTe efficiency can be further improved; graphene with a high specific surface area (2600 m2/g) and excellent catalytic activity can be used as a dye-sensitized (DSC), quantum dot-sensitized solar cells, perovskite solar cells and other new concepts of electrode materials to build a new high performance graphene-based solar cells.

The unique crystal structure of two-dimensional graphene possess excellent electrical and optical properties. Graphene has high electron mobility (2105 cm2/Vs) and conductivity (106 S/m), which favor the rapid collection of photo-generated electrons; graphene has high degree of transparency in the visible and near-infrared region, its transmittance reach up to 97.7%, favor to realize a wide spectrum transmittance, which can make photovoltaic cells absorb and utilized solar energy efficiently. Thus, graphene has broad application prospects in the field of photovoltaic devices. Since 2009, our group (Research group of optoelectronic conversion materials and photovoltaic devices) has been committed to exploring the preparation of high-quality graphene and research applications in the photovoltaic devices. We first demonstrated graphene transparent conductive films prepared using atmospheric CVD method, as the transparent electrode in the cadmium telluride (CdTe) solar cells; Based on high electron mobility and electrical conductivity of 3Dgraphene network structure, we first used the 3D graphene network as a back electrode to apply to the CdTe solar cell, and the corresponding efficiency is much higher than that of conventional graphite paste back electrode. Meanwhile, the network structure of 3D graphene composite with copper nanowire, and as a back electrode, the CdTe efficiency can be further improved; graphene with a high specific surface area (2600 m2/g) and excellent catalytic activity can be used as a dye-sensitized (DSC), quantum dot-sensitized solar cells, perovskite solar cells and other new concepts of electrode materials to build a new high performance graphene-based solar cells.