Layer-by-layer CdTe nanoparticle absorbers for ZnO nanorod solar cells - the influence of annealing on cell performance

MRS Online Proceedings Library volume 1260, Article number: 602 (2010) Cite this article

Abstract

The conformal coating of ZnO nanorods with CdTe nanoparticles using layer-by-layer (LbL) processing produces a quantum dot-sensitised solar cell. As the number of CdTe layers increases the absorption of incident light increases below the absorption onset of the nanoparticles (650 nm). Photoluminescence investigations of the CdTe-ZnO composite structure suggest a transfer of photoexcited electrons from the CdTe nanoparticles the ZnO nanorods. Filling of the semiconductor composite structure with CuSCN provides the solar cell with a p-type semiconductor to collect the photogenerated holes from the system. Annealing the CdTe-polymer coated nanorods lowers the series resistance of the cell by removing the polymer component of the film. A cell annealed at 350 °C has a Jsc of 0.12 mAcm-2, and a Voc of 49 mV under 0.25 mW/cm2 illumination.

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Affiliations

  1. Nanotechnology Centre, Cranfield University, MK43 0AL, UK

    Joe Briscoe

  2. Optoelectronics Group, Department of Physics, Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, J J Thomson Avenue, CB3 0HE, Cambridge, UK

    Diego E. Gallardo

  3. Materials Department, School of Engineering and Materials, Queen Mary, University of London, E1 4NS, London, UK

    Steve Dunn

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  1. Joe Briscoe
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  2. Diego E. Gallardo
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  3. Steve Dunn
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Briscoe, J., Gallardo, D.E. & Dunn, S. Layer-by-layer CdTe nanoparticle absorbers for ZnO nanorod solar cells - the influence of annealing on cell performance. MRS Online Proceedings Library 1260, 602 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1557/PROC-1260-T06-02

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