Modification of ZnS-inserting layer in the TiO2 inverse opal-based photoanode to enhance the efficiency of quantum dot-sensitized solar cells

Modification of ZnS-inserting layer in the titanium dioxide (TiO2) inverse opal-based photoanode was investigated, and it is an effective and easy approach to enhance the efficiency of quantum dot-sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs). The introduction of ZnS between TiO2 and quantum dots (QDs) not only enhanced the light harvesting of QDs on its top, but also lessened the charge-transfer resistances at the TiO2/QD/electrolyte interfaces. The TiO2 inverse opal-based QDSSCs increased the energy conversion efficiency by modifying the ZnS-inserting layer in the photoanode, particularly the CdS/CdSe QD co-sensitized solar cells which attained 79% rate of increase in cell efficiency.