Bubble-like CdSe nanoclusters sensitized TiO₂ nanotube arrays for improvement in solar cell

Solar cells were fabricated using novel bubble-like CdSe nanoclusters sensitized highly ordered titanium oxide nanotube (TiO₂ NT) array, prepared by anodization technique. The CdSe sensitization of TiO₂ NT arrays was carried out by a chemical bath deposition method with freshly prepared sodium selenosufite, ammonium hydroxide and cadmium acetate dehydrate at different deposition times: 20, 40 and 60 min. The adsorption of CdSe nanoclusters on the upper and inner surface of the TiO₂ NT arrays has been confirmed by field emission scanning electron and transmission electron microscopes. The results show the variation in cell a performance with different deposition times (20, 40, and 60 min) of CdSe on TiO₂ NT arrays. The solar cell with CdSe, deposited for 60 min, shows reasonably high photovoltaic property compared to the reported results of similar studies. This solar cell shows the maximum photoelectric conversion efficiency of 1.56% (photocurrent of 7.19 mA/cm²; photovoltage of 0.438 V; and fill factor of 49.5%) and average incident photon to current efficiency of 50.2%. The photocurrent, incident photon-current efficiency and electron lifetime have been improved due to the increase of covered area and size of bubble-like CdSe nanoclusters on TiO₂ NT arrays with the increase of deposition time.