AgSbS2 semiconductor-sensitized solar cells

Abstract

We present a ternary semiconductor nanoparticle sensitizer – AgSbS2 – for solar cells. AgSbS2 nanoparticles were grown using a two-stage successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction process. First, Ag2S nanoparticles were grown on the surface of a nanoporous TiO2 electrode. Secondly, a Sb–S film was coated on top of the Ag2S. The double-layered structure was transformed into AgSbS2 nanoparticles ~40nm in diameter, after post-deposition heating at 350°C. The AgSbS2-sensitized TiO2 electrodes were fabricated into liquid-junction solar cells. The best cell yielded a power conversion efficiency of 0.34% at 1sun and 0.42% at 0.1sun. The external quantum efficiency (EQE) spectrum covered the range of 380–680nm with a maximal EQE of 10.5% at λ=470nm. The method can be applied to grow other systems of ternary semiconductor nanoparticles for solar absorbers.