Quantum Dot Sensitized Solar Cells Based on CdS Sensitized TiO2 Nanorod Arrays

Chemical bath deposition (CBD) was used to assemble cadmium sulfide (CdS) quantum-dots (QD) onto single-crystal TiO2 nanorod arrays (NRA) for QD sensitized solar cell applications. The well crystallized CdS QDs were observed on the nanorod (NR) surface by the scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM, TEM) and other methods. In addition, a clear photovoltaic behaviour was also demonstrated through fabricating a solar cell. A power conversion efficiency of ∼1.28% was obtained by optimizing the parameters of the photoanodes. The poor cell performance might be mainly attributed to the slow electron transfer process occurring between the adjacent QDs.