Near infrared absorption of CdSe(x)Te(1-x) alloyed quantum dot sensitized solar cells with more than 6% efficiency and high stability.

Abstract

CdSe0.45Te0.55 alloyed quantum dots (QDs) with excitonic absorption onset at 800 nm and particle size of 5.2 nm were prepared via a noninjection high-temperature pyrolysis route and used as a sensitizer in solar cells. A postsynthesis assembly approach with use of bifunctional linker molecule mercaptopropionic acid (MPA) capped water-soluble QDs, obtained via ex situ ligand exchange from the initial oil-dispersible QDs, was adopted for tethering QDs onto mesoporous TiO2 film. With the combination of high loading of the QD sensitizer and intrinsic superior optoelectronic properties (wide absorption range, high conduction band edge, high chemical stability, etc., relative to their constituents CdSe and CdTe) of the adopted CdSe0.45Te0.55 QD sensitizer, the resulting CdSexTe1-x alloyed QD-based solar cells exhibit a record conversion efficiency of 6.36% (Jsc = 19.35 mA/cm(2), Voc = 0.571 V, FF = 0.575) under full 1 sun illumination, which is remarkably better than that of the reference CdSe and CdTe QD based ones. Furthermore, the solar cells with Cu2S counter electrodes based on eletrodeposition of Cu on conductive glass show long-term (more than 500 h) stability.