Fabrication of ZnO/CuS core/shell nanoarrays for inorganic–organic heterojunction solar cells

•CuS shell was grown on ZnO nanorods via ion exchange method.•The products can be used for inorganic–organic heterojunction solar cell.•High performance was obtained due to the absorption spectra and band structure.

Uniform CuS shell was prepared on the surface of ZnO nanorods arrays via a simple hydrothermal and ion exchange method. Then, the solid state inorganic–organic heterojunction solar cell (ITO/ZnO/CuS/P3HT/Pt) was constructed using ZnO/CuS core/shell nanoarrays as photoanode and P3HT as both hole conductor and light absorber. The thickness of CuS semiconductor sensitizer layers, which can be controlled by the immersing time of ZnO nanorods in reaction solution, has an important effect on the cell performances. And the cell efficiency up to 1.02% was obtained due to the improved absorption spectrum and appropriate energy gap structure in ZnO/CuS/P3HT.