Enhanced Performance of Nanowire-Based All-TiO2 Solar Cells using Subnanometer-Thick Atomic Layer Deposited ZnO Embedded Layer

Abstract

In this paper, the effect of angstrom-thick atomic layer deposited (ALD) ZnO embedded layer on photovoltaic (PV) performance of Nanowire-Based All-TiO 2 solar cells has been systematically investigated. Our results indicate that by varying the thickness of ZnO layer the efficiency of the solar cell can be significantly changed. It is shown that the efficiency has its maximum for optimal thickness of 1 ALD cycle in which this ultrathin ZnO layer improves device performance through passivation of surface traps without hampering injection efficiency of photogenerated electrons. The mechanisms contributing to this unprecedented change in PV performance of the cell have been scrutinized and discussed.

Emerging photoluminescence from defective vanadium diselenide nanosheets

“…However, the shoulder positioned at a higher energy of 531.8 eV shows the existence of chemisorbed oxygen species on the sample. This has been proved in several previous studies [76][77][78][79]. Based on the calculation of free energy by the classical nucleation theory, most of the water-derived hydroxyl groups, such as OH radicals and H 2 O, have a high tendency to be chemisorbed near imperfections, such as defects (like vacancy levels) and grain boundaries.…”

Photoelectrochemical properties of In2Se3 thin films: Effect of substrate temperature

“…Currently, the investigations on PEC cells, mainly focus on the semiconductor materials with wide band gaps, such as TiO 2 [10][11] and ZnO [12][13], which respond only to ultraviolet light (accounting only 4% in solar spectrum). With aim of utilizing the solar energy more effectively, intensive efforts have been carried out to investigate the visible light (accounting 43% in solar spectrum) responsive semiconductors (λ > 400 nm) [14].…”

Strong Light–Matter Interactions in Au Plasmonic Nanoantennas Coupled with Prussian Blue Catalyst on BiVO4 for Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting

“…The effect of oxygen vacancies on the BiVO 4 PEC performance is still under debate in the literature. Recent works indicate that oxygen vacancies can have multiple roles on the PEC‐WS performance of metal oxides . From the positive side, it is commonly accepted that oxygen vacancies inside the bulk medium improve the free carrier concentration and consequently lead to better charge carrier transport .…”