CuInS2-Sensitized Quantum Dot Solar Cell. Electrophoretic Deposition, Excited-State Dynamics, and Photovoltaic Performance

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Abstract
Ternary metal chalcogenides such as CuInS2 offer new opportunities to design quantum dot solar cells (QDSC). Chemically synthesized CuInS2 quantum dots (particle diameter, 2.6 nm) have been successfully deposited within the mesoscopic TiO2 film using electrophoretic deposition (150 V cm–1 dc field). The primary photoinduced process of electron injection from excited CuInS2 into TiO2 occurs with a rate constant of 5.75 × 1011 s–1. The TiO2/CuInS2 films are photoactive and produce anodic photocurrent with a power conversion efficiency of 1.14%. Capping the TiO2/CuInS2 film with a CdS layer decreases the interfacial charge recombination and thus offers further improvement in the power conversion efficiency (3.91%). The synergy of using CdS as a passivation layer in the composite film is also evident from the increased external quantum efficiency of the electrode in the red region where only CuInS2 absorbs the incident light.