  Ferroelectrics have shown potential as a promising alternative material for
future photovoltaic applications. Observance of high open circuit voltages in
ferroelectric thin films, have generated considerable interest in the field of
ferroelectric photovoltaic in recent years. The field of ferroelectric
photovoltaic is evolving and not yet completely understood compared to the
semiconductor based photovoltaic technology. This dissertation investigates
photovoltaic characteristics of ferroelectric films in an attempt to further
the understanding of ferroelectric photovoltaic.
  This dissertation presents photovoltaic properties of ferroelectric
Pb0.95La0.05Zr0.54Ti0.46O3 thin films. The films were fabricated by solution
based method and spin coating technique. The post annealing process on these
films was optimized to achieve the desired ferroelectric and dielectric
properties. A measurement setup was established to study the PV characteristic
of the devices. Dependence of current-voltage (I-V) behavior of the cells on
parameters such as electrical poling, annealing temperature, nature of top
electrodes, and intensity of illumination, were investigated. The photovoltaic
response was shown to improve by using electrodes with low work functions. An
electric circuit model was developed to simulate the behavior of a single
ferroelectric photovoltaic cell and the dependence of open circuit voltage
(Voc) and short circuit current (Isc) on light intensity.
