Abstract
Photovoltaic conversion of solar energy into electricity is an alternative way to use renewable energy for sustainable energy production. The great demand of low-cost and efficient solar cells inspires research on solution-processable light-harvesting materials. Antimony trisulfide (Sb2S3) is a promising light-harvester for photovoltaic purposes. Here we report on the in situ grown monolayer of preferentially oriented, large Sb2S3 single-crystalline cuboids on a polycrystalline titania (TiO2) nanoparticle film. A facile, oriented seed-assisted solution-processing method is used, providing the Sb2S3/TiO2-based bulk/nano-planar heterojunction with a preferred structure for efficient planar solar cells. An orientation-competing-epitaxial nucleation/growth mechanism is proposed for understanding the growth of the Sb2S3 single-crystalline cuboids. With an organic hole transporting material, the stable solar cell of the heterojunction yields a power conversion efficiency of 5.15% (certified as 5.12%). It is found that the [221]-oriented Sb2S3 cuboids provide highly effective charge transport channels inside the Sb2S3 layer.
Improved photovoltaic performance of dye-sensitized solar cells by Au-ion implantation of titania film electrodes
