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Nanocrystalline photoelectrochemical cells; A new concept in photovoltaic cells

Journal Article · · Journal of the Electrochemical Society; (United States)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1149/1.2069045· OSTI ID:6754449
 [1]; ;  [2]
  1. Dept. of Materials and Interfaces, Weizmann Inst. of Science, Rehovot 76100 (Israel)
  2. Southampton Univ. (United Kingdom). Dept. of Chemistry
Semiconductor films with small crystal size normally exhibit prohibitively large recombination losses in photovoltaic cells. In this paper, the authors show that porous nanocrystalline films of CdS and CdSe can be used as photoelectrodes in photoelectrochemical cells with relatively low recombination losses. Spectral response measurements show how the recombination losses depend on film thickness. These photoelectrochemical cells operate due to charge separation at the semiconductor-electrolyte interface rather than by a built-in space charge layer as normally occurs in photovoltaic or photoelectrochemical cells. The rapid removal of one charge by the electrolyte explains the low recombination loss.
OSTI ID:
6754449
Journal Information:
Journal of the Electrochemical Society; (United States), Journal Name: Journal of the Electrochemical Society; (United States) Vol. 39:11; ISSN 0013-4651; ISSN JESOAN
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English