Frontiers of Optoelectronics, Volume. 4, Issue 1, 93(2011)
Quantum dot photoelectrochemical solar cells based on TiO2-SrTiO3 heterostructure nanotube array scaffolds
Titania-Strontium titanate (TiO2-SrTiO3) nanotube array with heterostructure has been demonstrated as an efficient scaffold applied to quantum dot photoelectrochemical solar cells. Quantum dot CdS serviced as solar light absorbent is chosen as an example to illustrate superior performance and deposited on scaffolds by successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) technique. The photoelectrochemical performance of such solar cell is strongly dependent on the structure of heterostructured scaffolds. Only well-dispersed SrTiO3 nanocrystallites on TiO2 could improve the overall conversion efficiency. Transient absorption spectra and photoelectrochemical measurements show that the formation of SrTiO3 energy gradient between TiO2 and electrolyte slows down the rate of electronic injection from 19.3×108 to 6.30 ×108 s-1, while it greatly increases electronic collection efficiency via reduced charge recombination. Cadmium sulfide (CdS) quantum dots used to decorate TiO2-SrTiO3 (1 h hydrothermal treatment) electrode exhibits superior photoelectrochemical performance with nearly 70% increase in external quantum efficiency at 460 nm and also in overall cell conversion efficiency. The photostability and high efficiency properties of TiO2-SrTiO3 composites would enable its practical application in solar energy conversion devices.
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Jun ZHANG, Chengchun TANG. Quantum dot photoelectrochemical solar cells based on TiO2-SrTiO3 heterostructure nanotube array scaffolds[J]. Frontiers of Optoelectronics, 2011, 4(1): 93
Received: Oct. 18, 2012
Accepted: Dec. 30, 2012
Published Online: Sep. 21, 2012
The Author Email: ZHANG Jun (jzhangnano@mail.hust.edu.cn)