Surfactant-free CdTe nanoparticles mixed MEH-PPV hybrid solar cell deposited by spin coating technique

Hybrid absorber layers have been deposited using spin coating technique (using surfactant-free CdTe nanoparticles mixed with poly (2-methoxy, 5-(2-ethyl-hexyloxy)-p-phenyl vinylene) (MEH-PPV). The blend Solution is heated at similar to 50 degrees C prior to the thin film deposition to achieve proper dispersion of CdTe nanoparticles in MEH-PPV. (HNMR)-H-1 spectra confirm the chemical attachment of CdTe nanoparticles to alkoxy group of MEH-PPV. For the film deposited with weight ratio CdTe:MEH-PPV (40:3), the absorbance extends from 350 nm to near-IR region and the effect of charge transfer complex (CTC) is also seen. Photoluminescence (PL) measurement confirms the PL quenching for the hybrid layer which is a measure of the degree of dispersion of nanoparticles in the MEH-PPV matrix and also confirms that the required dissociation of excitons is taking place. The solar cell prepared with the CdTe mixed MEH-PPV hybrid absorbing layer shows a power conversion efficiency of similar to 0.06%. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.