Gualdrón-Reyes AF, Meléndez AM, Tirado J, Mejia-Escobar MA, Jaramillo F, Niño-Gómez ME. Hidden energy levels? Carrier transport ability of CdS/CdS
1-xSe
x quantum dot solar cells impacted by Cd-Cd level formation.
NANOSCALE 2019;
11:762-774. [PMID:
30566154 DOI:
10.1039/c8nr07073c]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
In quantum dot sensitized solar cells (QDSSC), a cascade energy level structure controlled by assembly of cadmium-chalcogenide quantum dots can remarkably improve the sunlight harvesting and charge carrier lifetime. Despite the advantages of using co-sensitizers, energy conversion efficiencies are still low. An increased understanding of the causes of the low photoconversion efficiency (PCE) will contribute to the development of a straightforward approach to improve solar cell performance by exploiting co-sensitization. Herein we discuss how an excess of cadmium causes structural disorder and defect levels impacting the PCE of QDSSC devices. Thus, outer CdS1-xSex/inner CdS QD-co-sensitized B,N,F-co-doped-TiO2 nanotubes (BNF-TNT) were prepared. Chalcogenides were deposited by the SILAR method on BNF-TNT, varying the load of CdS as the inner sensitizer, while for CdS1-xSex, five SILAR cycles were used (5-CdS1-xSex), controlling the nominal S/Se molar ratio of the ternary alloy. Cd defects named as Cd-Cd energy levels were observed during CdS sensitization. Although incorporation of outer CdS1-xSex provides a tunable band gap to achieve good band alignment for carrier separation, Cd-Cd energy levels in the sensitizers act as recombination centers, limiting the overall electron flow at the BNF-TNT/CdS/CdS1-xSex interface. A maximum PCE of 2.58% was reached under standard AM 1.5G solar illumination at 100 mW cm-2. Additional limitations of SILAR as a deposition strategy of QDs are also found to influence the PCE of QDSSC.
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