TITLE:
Alloyed CdTe0.6S0.4 Quantum Dots Sensitized TiO2 Electrodes for Photovoltaic Applications
AUTHORS:
Ali Badawi, Khalid Easawi, Najm Al-Hosiny, Said Abdallah
KEYWORDS:
Alloyed CdTe0.6S0.4; Quantum Dot; Quantum Dots Sensitized Solar Cell; Photovoltaic Cell
JOURNAL NAME:
Materials Sciences and Applications,
Vol.5 No.1,
January
21,
2014
ABSTRACT: The photovoltaic performance of alloyed CdTe0.6S0.4 quantum dot sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs) is investigated. Fluorine doped Tin Oxide (FTO) substrates were coated with 20 nm-diameter TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs). Presynthesized colloidal solution of alloyed CdTe0.6S0.4 quantum dots (QDs) of 4.2 nm was deposited onto TiO2 NPs substrates using direct adsorption (DA) technique, by dipping for different times at ambient conditions. The FTO counter electrodes were coated with platinum, while the electrolyte containing I-/I-3 redox species was sandwiched between the two electrodes. Compared to pure CdTe QDs and CdS QDs, CdTe0.6S0.4 QDs showed better photovoltaic performance. The J-V characteristic curves of the assembled QDSSCs were measured at AM 1.5 simulated sunlight. The short current density (Jsc) and efficiency (η) increase with dipping time. At 24 h dipping time, the open-circuit photovoltage Voc, Jsc, fill factor (FF), and η were 0.46 volts, 1.54 mA/cm2, 0.43% and 0.31%, respectively.