Development of SnS quantum dot hybrid solar cells on TiO2 nanorods

The Successive Ionic Layer Adsorption and Reaction (SILAR) method was used to make SnS Quantum dots (QDs) hybrid solar cells with a structure; Glass/FTO/ Titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanorods/SnS QDs/P3HT/PEDOT: PSS/Ag. TiO2 nanorods were grown on FTO-coated glass using hydrothermal process, and the SnS QDs were deposited on the surface of the nanorods by the SILAR method. The hole transport layers P3HT and PEDOT: PSS were deposited in succession on top of the SnS QDs using the spin coating technique. The cell was competed with metal contact (silver) deposited by thermal evaporation. It is seen from dark I–V and impedance spectroscopy that the interface is improved by the deposition of Quantum Dots. Moreover, SILAR deposition cycles have to be optimised to obtain a suitable bandgap of the absorber material, in addition to, lowering the series resistance and increasing the shunt resistance. After 8 times of SILAR deposition, the developed cells showed the best results with a respectable open circuit voltage of 0.46 V and FF of 43.1