Photoanode Activity of ZnO Nanotube Based Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells |
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Affiliation: | R. Ranjusha, P. Lekha, K.R.V. Subramanian, V. Nair Shantikumar and A. Balakrishnan Nano Solar Division, Amrita Center for Nanosciences, Kochi 682 041, Kerala, India |
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Abstract: | Vertical ZnO nanotube (ZNT) arrays were synthesized onto an indium doped tin oxide (ITO) glass substrate by a simple electrochemical deposition technique followed by a selective etching process. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed formation of well-faceted hexagonal ZNT arrays spreading uniformly over a large area. X-ray diffraction (XRD) of ZNT layer showed substantially higher intensity for the (0002) diffraction peak, indicating that the ZnO crystallites were well aligned with their c-axis. Profilometer measurements of the ZNT layer showed an average thickness of ~7 μm. Diameter size distribution (DSD) analysis showed that ZNTs exhibited a narrow diameter size distribution in the range of 65–120 nm and centered at ~75 nm. The photoluminescence (PL) spectrum measurement showed violet and blue luminescence peaks that were centered at 410 and 480 nm, respectively, indicating the presence of internal defects. Ultra-violet (UV) spectroscopy showed major absorbance peak at ~348 nm, exhibiting an increase in energy gap value of 3.4 eV. By employing the formed ZNTs as the photo-anode for a dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC), a full-sun conversion efficiency of 1.01% was achieved with a fill factor of 54%. Quantum efficiency studies showed the maximum of incident photon-to-electron conversion efficiency in a visible region located at 520–550 nm range. |
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Keywords: | ZnO nanotubes Indium doped tin oxide (ITO) glass Photoluminescence spectra Electrochemical deposition Quantum efficiency |
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