Abstract
Zinc-oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs) co-doped with different concentrations of rare-earth ions of erbium and ytterbium, (ZnO: Er3+, Yb3+) were synthesized for applications to ZnO-based dye sensitized solar cells (DSSC). The composite NPs used for the photoelectrode (PE) were synthesized using a simple co-precipitation technique. X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy measurements on the prepared samples revealed a single phase wurzite ZnO powder with approximate sizes in the range from 15 to 20 nm. Photoluminescence (PL) measurements confirmed that the synthesized composite NPs had a good up-conversion (UPC) property. The prepared powders were directly used to make PEs for DSSCs. The photovoltaic efficiency of the DSSCs was enhanced compared to that of pure ZnO-based DSSCs. Particularly, the PE made up of ZnO: Er3+, Yb3+ NPs with 4 wt% of Er3+ and Yb3+ generates a short-circuit current density (Jsc) of 4.794 mA·cm −2 and an open circuit voltage (Voc) of 0.602 V with an efficiency (η) of 1.58%. The result indicates a 48.4% Jsc improvement compared to a pure ZnO PE-based DSSC. The photocurrent improvement is due to an increase in the light-harvesting capacity of the PEs attained through the UPC property of ZnO: Er3+, Yb3+ NPs. As confirmed by PL and electrochemical impedance spectra (EIS), the use of ZnO: Er3+,Yb3+ NPs as PEs for DSSCs enhances charge concentration and transport as a result of n-type doping. However, all ZnO: Er3+, Yb3+ NP based PEs exhibited a lower Voc as a result of a down shift in the Fermi energy, which affects the overall efficiency of the cell.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1381-1389 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| Journal | Journal of the Korean Physical Society |
| Volume | 68 |
| Issue number | 12 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Jun 1 2016 |
| Externally published | Yes |
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Keywords
- Co-precipitation
- Defects
- Nanoparticles
- Photoelectrode
- Rare-earth
- Up-conversion
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Physics and Astronomy(all)
Cite this
Effect of Er3+ and Yb3+ co-doping on the performance of a ZnO-based DSSC. / Tsege, Ermias Libnedengel; Vu, Hong Ha Thi; Atabaev, Timur Sh; Kim, Hyung Kook; Hwang, Yoon Hwae.
In: Journal of the Korean Physical Society, Vol. 68, No. 12, 01.06.2016, p. 1381-1389.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Effect of Er3+ and Yb3+ co-doping on the performance of a ZnO-based DSSC
AU - Tsege, Ermias Libnedengel
AU - Vu, Hong Ha Thi
AU - Atabaev, Timur Sh
AU - Kim, Hyung Kook
AU - Hwang, Yoon Hwae
PY - 2016/6/1
Y1 - 2016/6/1
N2 - Zinc-oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs) co-doped with different concentrations of rare-earth ions of erbium and ytterbium, (ZnO: Er3+, Yb3+) were synthesized for applications to ZnO-based dye sensitized solar cells (DSSC). The composite NPs used for the photoelectrode (PE) were synthesized using a simple co-precipitation technique. X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy measurements on the prepared samples revealed a single phase wurzite ZnO powder with approximate sizes in the range from 15 to 20 nm. Photoluminescence (PL) measurements confirmed that the synthesized composite NPs had a good up-conversion (UPC) property. The prepared powders were directly used to make PEs for DSSCs. The photovoltaic efficiency of the DSSCs was enhanced compared to that of pure ZnO-based DSSCs. Particularly, the PE made up of ZnO: Er3+, Yb3+ NPs with 4 wt% of Er3+ and Yb3+ generates a short-circuit current density (Jsc) of 4.794 mA·cm −2 and an open circuit voltage (Voc) of 0.602 V with an efficiency (η) of 1.58%. The result indicates a 48.4% Jsc improvement compared to a pure ZnO PE-based DSSC. The photocurrent improvement is due to an increase in the light-harvesting capacity of the PEs attained through the UPC property of ZnO: Er3+, Yb3+ NPs. As confirmed by PL and electrochemical impedance spectra (EIS), the use of ZnO: Er3+,Yb3+ NPs as PEs for DSSCs enhances charge concentration and transport as a result of n-type doping. However, all ZnO: Er3+, Yb3+ NP based PEs exhibited a lower Voc as a result of a down shift in the Fermi energy, which affects the overall efficiency of the cell.
AB - Zinc-oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs) co-doped with different concentrations of rare-earth ions of erbium and ytterbium, (ZnO: Er3+, Yb3+) were synthesized for applications to ZnO-based dye sensitized solar cells (DSSC). The composite NPs used for the photoelectrode (PE) were synthesized using a simple co-precipitation technique. X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy measurements on the prepared samples revealed a single phase wurzite ZnO powder with approximate sizes in the range from 15 to 20 nm. Photoluminescence (PL) measurements confirmed that the synthesized composite NPs had a good up-conversion (UPC) property. The prepared powders were directly used to make PEs for DSSCs. The photovoltaic efficiency of the DSSCs was enhanced compared to that of pure ZnO-based DSSCs. Particularly, the PE made up of ZnO: Er3+, Yb3+ NPs with 4 wt% of Er3+ and Yb3+ generates a short-circuit current density (Jsc) of 4.794 mA·cm −2 and an open circuit voltage (Voc) of 0.602 V with an efficiency (η) of 1.58%. The result indicates a 48.4% Jsc improvement compared to a pure ZnO PE-based DSSC. The photocurrent improvement is due to an increase in the light-harvesting capacity of the PEs attained through the UPC property of ZnO: Er3+, Yb3+ NPs. As confirmed by PL and electrochemical impedance spectra (EIS), the use of ZnO: Er3+,Yb3+ NPs as PEs for DSSCs enhances charge concentration and transport as a result of n-type doping. However, all ZnO: Er3+, Yb3+ NP based PEs exhibited a lower Voc as a result of a down shift in the Fermi energy, which affects the overall efficiency of the cell.
KW - Co-precipitation
KW - Defects
KW - Nanoparticles
KW - Photoelectrode
KW - Rare-earth
KW - Up-conversion
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U2 - 10.3938/jkps.68.1381
DO - 10.3938/jkps.68.1381
M3 - Article
VL - 68
SP - 1381
EP - 1389
JO - Journal of the Korean Physical Society
JF - Journal of the Korean Physical Society
SN - 0374-4884
IS - 12
ER -