title: Facile solution growth of vertically aligned ZnO nanorods sensitized with aqueous CdS and CdSe quantum dots for photovoltaic applications.
abstract: Vertically aligned single crystalline ZnO nanorod arrays, approximately 3 μm in length and 50-450 nm in diameter are grown by a simple solution approach on a Zn foil substrate. CdS and CdSe colloidal quantum dots are assembled onto ZnO nanorods array using water-soluble nanocrystals capped as-synthesized with a short-chain bifuncional linker thioglycolic acid. The solar cells co-sensitized with both CdS and CdSe quantum dots demonstrate superior efficiency compared with the cells using only one type of quantum dots. A thin Al2O3 layer deposited prior to quantum dot anchoring successfully acts as a barrier inhibiting electron recombination at the Zn/ZnO/electrolyte interface, resulting in power conversion efficiency of approximately 1% with an improved fill factor of 0.55. The in situ growth of ZnO nanorod arrays in a solution containing CdSe quantum dots provides better contact between two materials resulting in enhanced open circuit voltage.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Materials Science, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR. andrey.rogach@cityu.edu.hk.
authors.forename: Chunyan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Luan
authors.forename: Aleksandar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vaneski
authors.forename: Andrei S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Susha
authors.forename: Xueqing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Hong-En
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xue
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Wenjun
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Chun-Sing
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Andrey L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Rogach
authors.forename: Juan Antonio
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Zapien