Effect of precursors on Cu2S counter electrode on the quantum dot sensitized solar cell performance

Counter electrode of Cu2S on fluorine-doped tin oxide glass, which was synthesized by chemical bath deposition method in a nitrogen-purged environment with varying precursors and temperatures, is used for quantum dot sensitized solar cell fabrication. The morphology, composition and crystalline structure of the Cu2S film were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray and X-ray diffraction analysis. Electrochemical properties of the Cu2S film were measured by cyclic voltammetry measurement and the highest performance of JSC = 18.2 mA/cm2, VOC = 0.57 V, FF = 0.38 and η = 3.94% were recorded in the cell fabricated by the mixture of CuSO4 and Na2S2O3 precursors (1.0/1.0 ratio). It is the result of the enhancement of electrocatalytic activity, charge transfer and collection, and excited electron lifetime.