Efficacy of In2S3 interfacial recombination barrier layer in PbS quantum-dot-sensitized solar cells

• Published in: Journal of alloys and compounds Vol. 653; pp. 228 - 233
• Main Authors: Basit, Muhammad Abdul, Abbas, Muhammad Awais, Bang, Jin Ho, Park, Tae Joo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 25-12-2015
• Subjects: Indium sulfide; Interfacial recombination barrier; QDSSCs; SILAR; Interfacial recombination barrier; SILAR; Indium sulfide; QDSSCs
• ISSN: 0925-8388; 1873-4669
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jallcom.2015.08.237

In2S3 interfacial recombination barrier layer (IBL) via successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) was successfully employed between PbS quantum dots and mesoporous TiO2 in quantum-dot-sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs). In2S3 IBL significantly increased the resistance against back electron transfer from TiO2, resulting an increment in the photocurrent density (JSC) for the cell with single SILAR cycle of In2S3 IBL. Further increase in the number of SILAR cycles of In2S3 IBL deteriorated the JSC, whereas open-circuit voltage sustained the increasing trend. Therefore, an optimal photo-conversion efficiency of ∼2.2% was obtained for the cell with 2 SILAR cycles of In2S3 IBL, which strategically reached a value of ∼2.70% after annealing (increased by 40% compared to the control cell without IBL). In2S3 IBL not only improved the recombination resistance and electron life time of the cells, but it also enhanced the photostability of the cells.
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•In2S3 interfacial recombination barrier layer was deposited on TiO2 photoanode via SILAR process.•Resistance against back electron transfer from TiO2 (recombination) increased notably.•Fabricated PbS-QDSSCs were characterized using IPCE, OCVD and EIS techniques.•In2S3 IBL improved chemical capacitance, electron life time and photostability of modified cells.•2In2S3 IBL showed optimal performance, yielding 40% improvement in PCE after heat treatment.