Preparation and photoelectrochemical properties of nanoporous p-type semiconductor films for dye-sensitized p-n solar cells

• Applicant: Dr. Torsten Oekermann
• Subject Area: Physical Chemistry of Solids and Surfaces, Material Characterisation
• Term: from 2005 to 2010
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 18592744

Dye-sensitzed p-type semiconductor films will be developed towards the preparation of efficient dye-sensitzed p-n solar cells. CuSCN is chosen as p-type semiconductor material and will be electrodeposited together with different dye molecules, which act as structure-directing agents during the deposition and as sensitizers in the deposited films. This method has already been proven to yield nanoporous films with excellent charge carrier transport properties and photoelectrochemical performance in the case of dye-sensitzed n-type films based on ZnO. The photoelectrochemical properties of the CuSCN / dye films, especially transport and surface kinetics of photogenerated charge carriers, will be investigated in detail by frequency- and timeresolved photoelectrochemical methods. The results of these measurements will be correlated with the structural and morphological properties and the underlying preparation conditions. Based on these correlations, the preparation conditions will be developed and optimized to yield films with a high photoelectrochemical performance. The optimized preparation conditions for the CuSCN / dye films will be used to prepare efficient dye-sensitzed p-n cells by electrodeposition, based on p- CuSCN, n-ZnO and dye molecules with anchoring groups that can interact with both semiconductor materials.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants