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Cadmium sulfide interface layer for improving the performance of titanium dioxide/poly (3-hexylthiophene) solar cells by extending the spectral response

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Abstract

This work focused on studying the effect of cadmium sulfide (CdS) interfacial layer on the performance of titanium dioxide (TiO2)/poly (3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) solar cells and finding out its effect on charge recombination dynamics of hybrid TiO2/P3HT solar cells. FESEM images confirm the uniform distribution of chemical bath deposited CdS layer on TiO2 nanoparticles. Insertion of CdS layer at the nanocrystalline TiO2/P3HT interface broadens quantum efficiency spectrum of the solar cells with peak values over 80 and 40 % at the wavelengths of maximum absorption of CdS and P3HT respectively and hence enhances short-circuit current density (JSC) from 3.5 to 5.9 mAcm−2 under simulated illumination (70 mWcm−2) with an AM 1.5 filter. CdS layer further improves open circuit voltage (VOC) from 0.35 to 0.57 V, which is consistent with higher built-in voltage in CdS/P3HT than in TiO2/P3HT due to relatively lower laying conduction band edge of CdS. Photovoltaic transient measurements show that the carrier life-time in TiO2/CdS/P3HT solar cell is an order of magnitude longer than that in TiO2/P3HT solar cell. Optimized TiO2/P3HT solar cells with CdS interlayer yield power conversion efficiencies over 1.5 %, which is three times greater than that for similar solar cells without CdS layer.

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Acknowledgments

Authors acknowledge Dr. K. Vignarooban for his critical discussion during preparation of this manuscript. P. R and K. B acknowledge the National Research Council (NRC), Sri Lanka and Sivananthan Laboratories Inc. USA for financial assistance (Research Grant No. 11-175) and their training at the laboratory, respectively.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Jaffna, Jaffna, 40000, Sri Lanka

    M. Thanihaichelvan, K. Sockiah, K. Balashangar & P. Ravirajan

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  1. M. Thanihaichelvan
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  2. K. Sockiah
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  3. K. Balashangar
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  4. P. Ravirajan
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Correspondence to P. Ravirajan.

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Thanihaichelvan, M., Sockiah, K., Balashangar, K. et al. Cadmium sulfide interface layer for improving the performance of titanium dioxide/poly (3-hexylthiophene) solar cells by extending the spectral response. J Mater Sci: Mater Electron 26, 3558–3563 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-015-2869-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-015-2869-7

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