Effects of TiCl_4 treatment on the performance of CdSe/CdS-sensitised solar cells

摘要

Due to their high light absorption, size dependent bandgap and low material usage and low cost of fabrication, quantum dots (QDs) are a close second to the conventionally used dyes for the dye-sensitised solar cells (DSCs). TiCl_4 treatment is one of the typical methods used to treat the anode or the working electrode of DSCs for performance improvement. In this work, the effect of TiCl_4 treatment on the performance of CdSe/CdS-sensitised solar cells was studied. The devices made without TiCl_4 treatment, perform with a moderate 1.83% efficiency under AM1.5, 1 sun illumination conditions. In contrast, TiCl_4 treated working electrodes helps to enhance the cell efficiency to 3.98%, mainly from a higher photocurrent density (15.4 mAcm~(-2)) and fill factor (0.51). Higher loading of the quantum dots in the working electrode and passivation effect due to TiCl_4 treatment are believed to be responsible performance improvement.