FABRICATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF DYE-SENSITIZED SOLAR CELLS BASED ON MUREXID DYE AND INORGANIC CdS:Mn THIN FILMS

Abstract

In this study, dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) were designed utilizing Murexid dye as an absorbing material and manganese doped cadmium sulfide (CdS:Mn) thin films as transparent layers. The CdS:Mn thin films were synthesized on tin doped indium oxide coated glass substrates (ITO) at 90 ºC using chemical bath deposition method (CBD). The Mn-doping process was carried out at concentrations of 0%, 2%, 4% and 6% (in molar ratio of manganese ions to cadmium ions). The structural, morphological and optical properties of the CdS:Mn thin films were examined using x-ray diffractometer (XRD), atomic force microscope (AFM) and UV–visible absorption spectrometer. The effect of the nanoparticle size on the cell performance of DSSC was investigated by J-V curves. The results regarding electrical measurements indicated that the maximum efficiency of 3.40%. Our experimental results suggested that this heterojunction can be a good candidate for DSSCs.