title: Ternary CuBiS2 nanoparticles as a sensitizer for quantum dot solar cells.
abstract: This work investigates the synthesis and application in solar cells of a novel solar absorber material CuBiS2. Ternary copper chalcogenide CuBiS2 nanoparticles were grown on a mesoporous TiO2 electrode by the chemical bath deposition (CBD) method. The synthesized CuBiS2 nanoparticles, size 5-10nm, have an energy gap Eg of 2.1eV. Liquid-junction quantum dot-sensitized solar cells were fabricated from the CuBiS2-sensitized electrode using a polysulfide electrolyte. Three types of counter electrodes (CEs) - Pt, Au and Cu2S - were tested. The photovoltaic performance depends on the CBD reaction time and the CE. The best cell, obtained with the Cu2S CE, exhibited the photovoltaic performance of a short-circuit current density Jsc of 6.87mA/cm(2), an open-circuit voltage Voc of 0.25V, a fill factor FF of 36% and a power conversion efficiency η of 0.62%. The present work demonstrates the feasibility of CuBiS2 as a solar energy material.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Nanoscience and Department of Physics, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 402, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Nipapon
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Suriyawong
authors.affiliation: Institute of Nanoscience and Department of Physics, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 402, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Belete
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Aragaw
authors.affiliation: Department of Electronic Engineering, Feng Chia University, Taichung 40724, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Jen-Bin
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: Institute of Nanoscience and Department of Physics, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 402, Taiwan. Electronic address: mwl@phys.nchu.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Ming-Way
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Lee
keywords: Chemical bath deposition; Copper bismuth sulfide; Semiconductor sensitizer; Solar cell; Solar energy material