ZnO Nanowire Arrays Sensitized with Different Absorber Materials for Fabrication of Nanostructured Solar Cells

Abstract

In this manuscript we report the photosensitization of electrodeposited ZnO nanowire arrays with CdS, CdTe, CuZnS (CZS) and Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) extremely thin films prepared by: Successive Ion Layer Absorption and Reaction (SILAR), electrochemical deposition (ECD) and Close Space Sublimation (CSS) methods. The structural and optical properties of the ZnO/absorber nanostructures were characterized. 25 nm thick CdS nanoparticle-like shell was obtained after 40 deposition cycles by SILAR. CdTe shell deposited by the same technique is about 15 nm thick (for 20 cycles), whereas the CZS shell is thicker (40 nm) after 3 cycles. The layer thickness is controlled by the deposition cycles number. The CdTe film deposited by CSS (about 40 nm thick) is formed by 20 nm large nanoparticles. The thickness of electrodeposited CZTS layer is controlled by the passed deposition charge density. The room-temperature wet processes appear suitable to prepare good quality and uniform nanometer-thick films of absorbing materials.