title: Improved conversion efficiency of Ag2S quantum dot-sensitized solar cells based on TiO2 nanotubes with a ZnO recombination barrier layer.
abstract: We improve the conversion efficiency of Ag2S quantum dot (QD)-sensitized TiO2 nanotube-array electrodes by chemically depositing ZnO recombination barrier layer on plain TiO2 nanotube-array electrodes. The optical properties, structural properties, compositional analysis, and photoelectrochemistry properties of prepared electrodes have been investigated. It is found that for the prepared electrodes, with increasing the cycles of Ag2S deposition, the photocurrent density and the conversion efficiency increase. In addition, as compared to the Ag2S QD-sensitized TiO2 nanotube-array electrode without the ZnO layers, the conversion efficiency of the electrode with the ZnO layers increases significantly due to the formation of efficient recombination layer between the TiO2 nanotube array and electrolyte.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear and Quantum Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), 373-1 Guseong, Yuseong, Daejeon 305-701, Republic of Korea. socho@kaist.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Chong
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Ghafar
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.forename: Seung Hwa
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Yoo
authors.forename: Sung Oh
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: Cho