Front-side illuminated CdS/CdSe quantum dots co-sensitized solar cells based on TiO2 nanotube arrays

We fabricated a front-side illuminated CdS/CdSe quantum dots co-sensitized solar cell based on TiO2 nanotube arrays. The freestanding TiO2 nanotube arrays were first detached from anodic oxidized Ti foils and then transferred to the fluorine-doped tin oxide to form photoanodes. An opaque Cu2S with high electrochemical activity was used as the counter electrode. A photovoltaic conversion efficiency as high as 3.01% under one sun illumination has been achieved after optimizing the deposition time of CdSe quantum dots and the length of the TiO2 nanotube arrays. It is observed that the power conversion efficiency of quantum dots sensitized solar cells from the front-side illumination mode (3.01%) is much higher than that of the back-side illumination mode (1.32%) owing to the poor catalytic activity of Pt to polysulfide electrolytes and light absorption by the electrolytes for the latter.