The charge-transfer property and the performance of dye-sensitized solar cells of nitrogen doped zinc oxide

In this study two methods, namely the solution and annealing methods, were used to prepare nitrogen-doped ZnO. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was performed to identify the composition and chemical states of N-doped ZnO. The N doping by the solution method was found to effectively decrease the acceptor effects. Surface photovoltage measurements (SPS) revealed a redshift of the threshold wavelength for the N-doped ZnO. And the recombination of photoinduced electron–hole pairs in this semiconductor material was obviously suppressed. The N-doped ZnO (solution method) exhibits the best performances among all the materials, even superior to N-doped ZnO (annealing method). Its Jsc and η values (9.35 mA/cm2 and 2.64%) have enhanced by several times compared with un-doped ZnO (Jsc, 2.85 mA/cm2; η, 0.67%). The overall conversion efficiency of ZnO-based dye-sensitized solar cells was successfully improved by the N doping.

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► Two methods (the solution and annealing methods) are used to prepare nitrogen-doped ZnO.
► The charge-transfer properties of N-doping ZnO are investigated.
► The overall conversion efficiency of N-doped ZnO-based dye-sensitized solar cells is successfully improved by N doping.