MnTe semiconductor-sensitized boron-doped TiO2 and ZnO photoelectrodes for solar cell applications

Auttasit Tubtimtae; Khanittha Arthayakul; Bussayanee Teekwang; Kritsada Hongsith; Supab Choopun

doi:10.1016/j.jcis.2013.05.038

MnTe semiconductor-sensitized boron-doped TiO2 and ZnO photoelectrodes for solar cell applications

J Colloid Interface Sci. 2013 Sep 1:405:78-84. doi: 10.1016/j.jcis.2013.05.038. Epub 2013 May 31.

Authors

Auttasit Tubtimtae¹, Khanittha Arthayakul, Bussayanee Teekwang, Kritsada Hongsith, Supab Choopun

Affiliation

¹ Department of Physics, Faculty of Liberal Arts and Science, Kasetsart University Kamphaeng Saen Campus, Nakhon Pathom 73140, Thailand. tubtimtae@gmail.com

PMID: 23786831
DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2013.05.038

Abstract

We report a new tailoring MnTe semiconductor-sensitized solar cells (MnTe SSCs) using successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) technique. X-ray diffraction and SAED patterns reveal the orthorhombic MnTe and cubic MnTe2 phases were grown on boron-doped TiO2 and ZnO nanoparticles. The diameter of MnTe NPs ranged from 15 to 30nm on both B-doped metal oxide structures. The energy gaps of metal oxide become narrower after boron doping, which have an advantage for enhancing the light absorption from UV to visible region. Also, the energy gap of MnTe NPs on B-doped metal oxide was determined ~1.27-1.30eV. The best power conversion efficiency (η) of 0.033% and 0.030% yielded from B-doped TiO2/MnTe(7) and B-doped ZnO/MnTe(9), respectively. The reduction in power conversion efficiency by 103% and 91% was due to the absence of boron doping into TiO2 and ZnO nanostructures, respectively.