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A comparative study on the performance of hybrid solar cells containing ZnSTe QDs in hole transporting layer and photoactive layer

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Abstract

In this paper, ZnSTe quantum dots-based hybrid solar cells (HSC) with two different device architectures have been investigated. The improved performance of the poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and [6,6]phenyl C71 butyric acid methyl ester (PC71BM)-based bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells by the incorporation of ZnSTe quantum dots (QDs) with an average size of 2.96 nm in PEDOT:PSS layer and active layer that have been demonstrated. Although the efficiency of both types of devices is almost the same, a close comparison reveals different reasons behind their improved performance. The device prepared with QDs in the HTL has shown reduced series resistance, increased shunt resistance, and improved mobility. On the other hand, QDs in the photoactive layer demonstrates increased photo-generation leading to improved efficiency.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Advanced Materials (CAM), Qatar University, P. O. Box 2713, Doha, Qatar

    Mansoor Ani Najeeb, Zubair Ahmad & R. A. Shakoor

  2. Low Dimensional Materials Research Centre (LDMRC), Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

    Shahino Mah Abdullah, Fakhra Aziz & Khaulah Sulaiman

  3. Department of Electronics, Jinnah College for Women, University of Peshawar, Peshawar, 25120, Pakistan

    Fakhra Aziz & Uzma Khalil

  4. Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Faculty of Petroleum and Mining Engineering, Suez University, Suez, 43721, Egypt

    A. M. A. Mohamed

  5. Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia

    Wageh Swelm & Ahmed A. Al-Ghamdi

  6. Physics and Engineering Mathematics Department, Faculty of Electronic Engineering, Menoufia University, Menouf, 32952, Egypt

    Wageh Swelm

Authors
  1. Mansoor Ani Najeeb
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  2. Shahino Mah Abdullah
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  3. Fakhra Aziz
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  4. Zubair Ahmad
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  5. R. A. Shakoor
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  6. A. M. A. Mohamed
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  7. Uzma Khalil
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  8. Wageh Swelm
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  9. Ahmed A. Al-Ghamdi
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  10. Khaulah Sulaiman
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Correspondence to Zubair Ahmad.

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Najeeb, M.A., Abdullah, S.M., Aziz, F. et al. A comparative study on the performance of hybrid solar cells containing ZnSTe QDs in hole transporting layer and photoactive layer. J Nanopart Res 18, 384 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11051-016-3694-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11051-016-3694-5

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