Effect of Organic and Inorganic Passivation in Quantum-Dot-Sensitized Solar Cells

• DOI: 10.1021/jz400626r
• Publication Date: 2013-04-12T20:07:25Z
• Authors: Mauricio Solis de...; Rafael S. Sánchez; Victoria González...; Pablo P. Boix; S. G. Mhaisalkar; Marina E. Rincón; Juan Bisquert; Iván Mora-Seró
• Keywords: Passivation; Sensitized solar cells; Quantum dots; 02 engineering and technology; 0210 nano-technology; 7. Clean energy

The effect of semiconductor passivation on quantum-dot-sensitized solar cells (QDSCs) has been systematically characterized for CdS and CdS/ZnS. We have found that passivation strongly depends on the passivation agent, obtaining an enhancement of the solar cell efficiency for compounds containing amine and thiol groups and, in contrast, a decrease in performance for passivating agents with acid groups. Passivation can induce a change in the position of TiO2 conduction band and also in the recombination rate and nature, reflected in a change in the β parameter. Especially interesting is the finding that β, and consequently the fill factor can be increased with the passivation treatment. Applying this strategy, record cells of 4.65% efficiency for PbS-based QDSCs have been produced.