CdS nanosheet-sensitized solar cells based on SnO2/MgO composite films

Abstract

We report CdS nanosheet-sensitized solar cells based on SnO2/MgO composite films for the first time. Though, TiO2 and SnO2 have been used for semiconductor-sensitized solar cells (SSCs), composite films based on SnO2, have not yet been used to fabricate SSCs. In this work, CdS nanosheets were used to sensitize the SnO2/MgO-based solar cells. A thin film of CdS nanostructures was deposited on the mesoporous, SnO2/MgO film by chemical bath deposition (CBD) method at different bath temperatures. A ZnS layer was also deposited on the as-prepared CdS nanosheets, which acts as a capping layer to passivate the surface states of CdS nanosheets as well as a barrier to suppress the recombination of photo-generated electrons with the electrolyte. A power conversion efficiency of 1.33% could be obtained in this regard which is comparable with those obtained by other systems sensitized by CdS.