A 1D conical nanotubular TiO2 /CdS heterostructure with superior photon-to-electron conversion

Nanoscale
Raul ZazpeJan M Macak

Abstract

Herein, a new strategy to efficiently harvest photons in solar cells is presented. A solar cell heterostructure is put forward, based on a 1D conical TiO2 nanotubular scaffold of high aspect ratio, homogenously coated with a thin few nm layer of CdS light absorber using atomic layer deposition (ALD). For the first time, a large variety of conical nanotube layers with a huge span of aspect ratios was utilized and ALD was used for the preparation of a uniform CdS coating within the entire high surface area of the TiO2 nanotubes. The resulting 1D conical CdS/TiO2 tubular heterostructure acts as a sink for photons. Due to the multiple light scattering and absorption events within this nanotubular sink, a large portion of photons (nearly 80%) is converted into electrons. It is the combination of the scaffold architecture and the light absorber present on the high surface area as a very thin layer, the optimized charge transport and multiple optical effects that make this heterostructure very promising for the next generation of highly performing solar cells.

References

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Jan 11, 2008·Journal of the American Chemical Society·Wen-Tao SunLian-Mao Peng
Apr 16, 2009·Journal of the American Chemical Society·Akihiro KojimaTsutomu Miyasaka
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Apr 10, 2010·Chemical Communications : Chem Comm·Kahee ShinJong Hyeok Park
May 12, 2011·ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces·Fang ShaoJianqiang Luo
Jun 23, 2011·Chemical Society Reviews·Christophe DetavernierJohan A Martens
Aug 15, 2014·Chemical Reviews·Kiyoung LeePatrik Schmuki
Jul 23, 2015·ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces·Douglas A DuncanClemens Heske
Sep 20, 2016·Langmuir : the ACS Journal of Surfaces and Colloids·Raul ZazpeJan M Macak

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Methods Mentioned

BETA
atomic layer deposition
X-ray
transmission electron microscopy
light scattering
light harvesting

Software Mentioned

Nova
Nanomeasure

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