Bubble-like CdSe nanoclusters sensitized TiO2 nanotube arrays for improvement in solar cell

Solar cells were fabricated using novel bubble-like CdSe nanoclusters sensitized highly ordered titanium oxide nanotube (TiO2 NT) array, prepared by anodization technique. The CdSe sensitization of TiO2 NT arrays was carried out by a chemical bath deposition method with freshly prepared sodium selenosufite, ammonium hydroxide and cadmium acetate dehydrate at different deposition times: 20,40 and 60 min. The adsorption of CdSe nanoclusters on the upper and inner surface of the TiO2 NT arrays has been confirmed by field emission scanning electron and transmission electron microscopes. The results show the variation in cell a performance with different deposition times (20, 40, and 60 min) of CdSe on TiO2 NT arrays. The solar cell with CdSe, deposited for 60 min, shows reasonably high photovoltaic property compared to the reported results of similar studies. This solar cell shows the maximum photoelectric conversion efficiency of 1.56% (photocurrent of 7.19 mA/cm(2); photovoltage of 0.438V; and fill factor of 49.5%) and average incident photon to current efficiency of 50.2%. The photocurrent, incident photon-current efficiency and electron lifetime have been improved due to the increase of covered area and size of bubble-like CdSe nanoclusters on TiO2 NT arrays with the increase of deposition time. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.