A transparent energy harvesting device of SnO/TiO2 quantum dots/ZnO orderly nanoarrays pn junction via photovoltaic and piezoelectric conversion

The transparent energy harvesting device of SnO/TiO2 quantum dots(QDs)/ZnO orderly nanoarrays pn junction was fabricated via a continuous sputtering-hydrothermal-annealing method. There, the ZnO orderly nanoarrays were prepared by sputtering-hydrothermal method, and the TiO2 QDs prepared by hydrothermal method were introduced via annealing. Subsequently, the SnO film was deposited on the surface of TiO2 QDs/ZnO orderly nanoarrays by sputtering. As revealed, the as-prepared transparent energy harvesting device exhibits highly transmittance of ~85% in visible light, obvious photovoltaic conversion enhancement of ~1.1 × 104 folds than unmodified device and PCE(Photoelectric Conversion Efficiency) of ~1.21%, decent stability during 10,000s' cycle and better piezoelectric performance(~20% of optimal photovoltaic performance) during 1500 cycles, which can be mainly ascribed to the TiO2 QDs with high quantum yield and appropriate potential can accelerate the charge carrier injection and separation/migration, the orderly nanoarrays can increase the solar efficiency and provide enough spacing for dynamic stress compression.