Quantum dot sensitized solar cells fabricated using an inorganic spinel nanoparticle

Nanoparticles (NPs) of an inorganic spinel compound with formula Zn0.5184La0.7859Ce0.3994Al1.0026O4 (ZLCA) was synthesized by the gel combustion method. Then, several quantum dot-sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs) were fabricated using this new compound which was doped into the TiO2 pastes of photoanodes. Results indicated that the photovoltaic parameters of the optimized cell (η=3.50%, JSC=11.690 mA.cm–2) were boosted compared with those of the reference cell which was free of ZLCA NPs (η=2.14%, JSC=7.075 mA.cm–2) indicating rather high improvements of approximately 64 and 65% in the efficiency and short-circuit current density, respectively. The lowest intensity of the photoluminescence peak for the CdSe cell fabricated using 0.6%ZLCA suggested that it had the least charge recombination and the easiest electron transfer which was confirmed by the J-V and efficiency results. It was decided that doping 0.6%wt ZLCA was appropriate to attain suitable photocurrent efficiency for the QDSSCs because it was used in a minimum quantity to accelerate the electron transport, decrease the recombination and increase the cell efficiency.

کلیدواژه ها:

Quantum dot sensitized solar cells ، Zn0.5184La0.7859Ce0.3994Al1.0026O4 nanoparticles ، Photovoltaic performance ، Photocurrent ، Photoluminescence spectra