CdHgTe and CdTe quantum dot solar cells displaying an energy conversion efficiency exceeding 2%

Zusing Yang, Huan Tsung Chang*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal Article peer-review

61 Scopus citations

Abstract

We have fabricated quantum dot solar cells (QDSSCs) incorporating CdHgTe nanocrystals (NCs) and CdTe quantum dots (QDs), which we prepared separately from aqueous mixtures of NaHTe, Cd(NO3)2, and 3-mercaptopropionic acid in the presence and absence of HgCl2, respectively. After depositing the CdHgTe NCs and CdTe QDs onto TiO2 electrodes coated with poly(dimethyldiallylammonium chloride), stabilized through electrostatic interactions, we obtained (CdHgTe)3 and (CdHgTe)3-(CdTe)2 QDSSCs having energy conversion efficiencies of 1.0% and 2.2%, respectively. The incident photon-to-current conversion efficiencies (IPCEs) of the (CdHgTe)3 and (CdHgTe) 3-(CdTe)2 QDSSCs were 12.2% and 17.5%, respectively. The higher energy conversion efficiency of the (CdHgTe)3-(CdTe) 2 QDSSCs relative to that of the (CdTe)3-(CdHgTe) 2 QDSSCs resulted from the greater electron transfer efficiency in the former system. The combination of CdHgTe NCs and CdTe QDs and their deposition sequence are two important factors affecting the QDSSCs' efficiencies, which were controlled by their photocurrent densities and fill factors.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2046-2051
Number of pages6
JournalSolar Energy Materials and Solar Cells
Volume94
Issue number12
DOIs
StatePublished - 12 2010
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • CdHgTe
  • CdTe
  • Nanocrystals
  • Quantum dot solar cells

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