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Composite semiconductor quantum dots CdSe/CdS Co-sensitized TiO2 nanorod array solar cells

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Abstract

CdSe/CdS semiconductor quantum dots co-sensitized TiO2 nanorod array was fabricated on the transparent conductive fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) substrate using the hydrothermal and successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) process. The structural and morphological properties of the samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results indicate that CdSe/CdS QDs are uniformly coated on the surface of the TiO2 nanorods. The shift of light absorption edge was monitored by taking UV-visible absorption spectra. Compared with the absorption spectra of the TiO2 nanorod array, deposition of CdSe/CdS QDs shifts the absorption edge to the higher wavelength. The enhanced light absorption in the visible-light region of CdSe/CdS/TiO2 nanorod array indicates that CdSe/CdS layers can act as co-sensitizers in quantum dots sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs). By optimizing the CdSe layer deposition cycles, a photocurrent of 5.78 mA/cm2, an open circuit photovoltage of 0.469 V and a conversion efficiency of 1.34 % were obtained under an illumination of 100 mw/cm2.

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Correspondence to Tianjin Zhang  (章天金).

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Funded by National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.11174071), the International Cooperation Project of Wuhan City and Hubei Province (Nos. 201070934339 and 2010BFA010)

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Wang, J., Zhang, T., Wang, Q. et al. Composite semiconductor quantum dots CdSe/CdS Co-sensitized TiO2 nanorod array solar cells. J. Wuhan Univ. Technol.-Mat. Sci. Edit. 27, 876–880 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11595-012-0566-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11595-012-0566-4

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