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Investigation of multilayered quantum dot-sensitized solar cells with different Zn chalcogenide passivation layers

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Abstract

In the case of cadmium sulfide (CdS) and cadmium selenide (CdSe)-based quantum dot-sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs), the addition of a zinc sulfide (ZnS) passivation layer improves the solar cell performance. In this study, multilayered QDSSCs were fabricated using CdS and CdSe quantum dots prepared by successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) method. The optimized QDSSCs were used to study the passivation effect of zinc chalcogenide layers: ZnS, zinc selenide (ZnSe), and zinc telluride (ZnTe). The best performing solar cell prepared from four SILAR cycles of CdS followed by six SILAR cycles of CdSe were used for subsequent deposition of Zn chalcogenide layers. It was observed that capping with ZnSe or ZnTe layer on the multilayered Cd chalcogenide QDs did not improve the solar cell performance. Only the addition of ZnS layer contributed to the better performance of the solar cell. The efficiency obtained in the optimized multilayered CdS/CdSe QDSSC with ZnS layer was 1.37 %, while the QDSSC with ZnSe or ZnTe capping showed lower performance. The behavior of the solar cells is explained with electrochemical impedance spectroscopy study.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the University of Malaya for the grants PV094-2012A and RP003-13AFR. H.K. Jun thanks University of Malaya for the Fellowship Scheme Scholarship.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Ionics University of Malaya (CIUM), Department of Physics, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

    H. K. Jun, M. A. Careem & A. K. Arof

  2. Department of Mechanical and Material Engineering, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Jalan Genting Kelang, 53300, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

    H. K. Jun

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  1. H. K. Jun
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  2. M. A. Careem
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  3. A. K. Arof
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Correspondence to A. K. Arof.

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Jun, H.K., Careem, M.A. & Arof, A.K. Investigation of multilayered quantum dot-sensitized solar cells with different Zn chalcogenide passivation layers. J Appl Electrochem 44, 977–988 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10800-014-0700-4

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