Microwave assisted chemical bath deposition of CdS on TiO2 film for quantum dot-sensitized solar cells

A simple, rapid and effective method of microwave assisted chemical bath deposition (MACBD) has been used to deposit CdS quantum dots on the surface of TiO2 film as photoanode of quantum dot-sensitized solar cells. The photovoltaic performance of the as-prepared cell is investigated. The results show that the cell based on MACBD deposited TiO2/CdS electrode achieves an improved short circuit current density of 6.69 mA cm−2 and power conversion efficiency of 1.03% at one sun (AM 1.5G, 100 mW cm−2) as compared with the one employing conventional sequential chemical bath deposition method.

► Solar cells based on CdS quantum dot sensitized TiO2 photoanode are fabricated.
► CdS is deposited on TiO2 films using microwave assisted chemical bath deposition.
► This method offers a simple, rapid and effective deposition of CdS.
► As-prepared cell achieves maximally a power conversion efficiency of 1.03%.