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Efficiency enhancement in PbS/CdS quantum dot-sensitized solar cells by plasmonic Ag nanoparticles

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Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Semiconductor quantum dots (Q-dots) are attractive nanomaterials to be used in numerous research areas and device fabrication such as sensors, light-emitting diodes, transistors, and solar cells due to their unique optoelectronic properties. Quantum dot-sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs) have drawn considerable attention due to their cost-effectiveness and ability of multiple exciton generation and tunable energy gap of the quantum dots. In this study, plasmonic Ag colloidal nanoparticle-incorporated plasmonic TiO2 double-layer (nanofiber/nanoparticle) electrodes have been fabricated. These TiO2 electrodes were sensitized with PbS/CdS core-shell quantum dots by successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) technique, and QDSSCs were fabricated with polysulfide electrolyte. Cu2S was formed on brass plate and used as the counter electrode of the QDSSC. A higher power conversion efficiency of 4.09% has been obtained due to the plasmonic effect under the simulated light of 100 mW cm−2 with AM 1.5 spectral filter. The overall efficiency and short-circuit current density of the plasmonic QDSSC are enhanced by 15% and 23%, respectively, with respect to the QDSSC without Ag nanoparticles. The enhanced performance of the plasmonic QDSSC is evidently due to the enhanced optical absorption by localized surface plasmon resonance effect by the Ag nanoparticles in the TiO2 photoanode and the resulting increase in the short-circuit photocurrent.

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Funding

This study is financially supported by the National Science Foundation of Sri Lanka under grant number NSF/SCH/2018/04.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Institute of Fundamental Studies, Hantana Road, Kandy, Sri Lanka

    M. A. K. L. Dissanayake, T. Jaseetharan, G. K. R. Senadeera & J. M. K. W. Kumari

  2. Postgraduate Institute of Science, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka

    T. Jaseetharan & J. M. K. W. Kumari

  3. Department of Physical Sciences, South Eastern University of Sri Lanka, Sammanthurai, Sri Lanka

    T. Jaseetharan

  4. Department of Physics, The Open University of Sri Lanka, Nawala, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka

    G. K. R. Senadeera

Authors
  1. M. A. K. L. Dissanayake
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  2. T. Jaseetharan
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  3. G. K. R. Senadeera
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  4. J. M. K. W. Kumari
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Correspondence to M. A. K. L. Dissanayake.

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Highlights

• Silver nanoparticle incorporated, PbS:CdS quantum dot-sensitized, photoanode was made

• DSSCs fabricated with above photoanode showed an efficiency of 4.09%

• Efficiency enhancement of 15% and photocurrent enhancement of 23% were achieved due to plasmonic resonance effect

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Dissanayake, M.A.K.L., Jaseetharan, T., Senadeera, G.K.R. et al. Efficiency enhancement in PbS/CdS quantum dot-sensitized solar cells by plasmonic Ag nanoparticles. J Solid State Electrochem 24, 283–292 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10008-019-04420-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10008-019-04420-4

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