Synthesis of nanocrystalline CdS thin film by SILAR and their characterization

Cadmium sulphide (CdS) thin film was prepared by successive ion layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) technique using ammonium sulphide as anionic precursor. Characterization techniques of XRD, SEM, TEM, FTIR and EDX were utilized to study the microstructure of the films. Structural characterization by x-ray diffraction reveals the polycrystalline nature of the films. Cubic structure is revealed from X-ray diffraction and selected area diffraction (SAD) patterns. The particle size estimated using X-ray line broadening method is approximately 7 nm. Instrumental broadening was taken into account while particle size estimation. TEM shows CdS nanoparticles in the range 5–15 nm. Elemental mapping using EFTEM reveals good stoichiometric composition of CdS. Characteristic stretching vibration mode of CdS was observed in the absorption band of FTIR spectrum. Optical absorption study exhibits a distinct blue shift in band gap energy value of about 2.56 eV which confirms the size quantization.     

High-quality CdS quantum dots sensitized ZnO nanotube array films for superior photoelectrochemical performance

The surface characteristics of ZnO were synthetically optimized by a self-designed simultaneous etching and W-doping hydrothermal method utilizing as-prepared ZnO nanorod (NR) array films as the template. Benefiting from the etching and regrowth process and the different structural stabilities of the various faces of ZnO NRs, the uniquely etched and W-doped ZnO (EWZ) nanotube (NT) array films with larger surface area, more active sites and better energy band structure were used to improve the photoelectrochemical (PEC) performance and the loading quality of CdS quantum dots (QDs). On the basis of their better surface characteristics, the CdS QDs were uniformly loaded on EWZ NT array film with a good coverage ratio and interface connection; this effectively improved the light-harvesting ability, charge transportation and separation as well as charge injection efficiency during the PEC reaction. Therefore, all the CdS QD-sensitized EWZ NT array films exhibited significantly enhanced PEC performance. The CdS/EWZ-7 composite films exhibited the optimal photocurrent density with a value of 12 mA· cm^-2, 2.5 times higher than that of conventional CdS/ZnO-7 composite films under the same sensitization times with CdS QDs. The corresponding etching and optimizing mechanisms were also discussed.     

ZnS/CdS/ZnS量子点量子阱的荧光衰减

采用反胶束方法制备了ZnS/CdS/ZnS量子点量子阱，并对其光谱性质进行了研究。结果表明所制得的量子点量子阱尺寸分布均匀，平均粒径为4.5nm，发光峰位于515nm左右，归属于CdS体内的施主－受主对复合。ZnS/CdS/ZnS量子点量子阱中CdS的发光比核－壳结构的ZnS/CdS量子点增强了近四倍，荧光寿命也有所增长。     

Simplistic surface active agents mediated morphological tweaking of CdS thin films for photoelectrochemical solar cell performance

This study reports on the formation of cadmium sulfide (CdS) nanostructures with controlled morphology synthesized via a simple chemical route in surface active agent environment. The effect of organic surface active agents (surfactants) as sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), polyethylene glycol (PEG) and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) on structural, morphological, optical and photoelectrochemical properties of CdS thin films have been studied. Our results reveal that the organic surfactants play key roles in tweaking the surface morphology. A compact spongy ball like morphology was observed for the CdS samples grown without organic surfactants. The cauliflower's with nanopetals from the CTAB, whereas crowded star fish like morphology is observed in PEG-mediated growth. Water hyacinth like morphology is tweaked using SDS. Considering the importance of these nanostructures, the growth mechanism has been discussed in details. Additionally, the samples are photoelectrochemically (PEC) active and having a compact surface with a nanoporous structure twig helps in improved photoelectrochemical performance compared to that of CdS deposits from surfactant free solution. This is a simplistic way to tune the morphology using surfactants, which can be applied to other energy conversion applications.     

Fabrication of highly luminescent InP/Cd and InP/CdS quantum dots

Highly luminescent InP/Cd and InP/CdS core-shell QDs were fabricated by sequential addition of cadmium acetylacetonate and dodecanethiol to InP core solutions, which showed a red-shift in absorption and emission. ICP measurement revealed the existence of cadmium and TEM images showed the increased size of InP/CdS QDs. PXRD data identified zinc blend structures of InP and InP/CdS QDs, which indexed to the (1 1 1), (2 2 0) and (3 1 1) planes. The slight shift of peaks between InP and InP/CdS QDs can demonstrate the existence of CdS shell structures.     

溶胶CdS毫微晶的双光子吸收及其量子尺寸效应

本文利用单光束透过率法研究了溶胶CdS毫微晶的双光子吸收。对于毫微晶尺寸为5.5～11.0nm的样品,测得其在波长510.6nm时的双光子吸收系数为1.31～5.24/GW,并由此得到相应的x~(3)为2.8×10~(-12)～1.1×10~(-11)esu。文中还从理论上分析了CdS溶胶的双光子吸收与毫微晶尺寸的关系,理论计算与实验结果基本符合。     

CdS/ZnO纳米复合结构制备及荧光特性研究

为增强CdS纳米粒子的荧光强度,以及稳定性,研究了Cd,S不同质量比,有无稳定剂等条件下CdS纳米粒子的制备及荧光特性。在碱性条件下,利用水热法合成了CdS/ZnO的纳米复合结构,并对所有样品进行了XRD、荧光光谱和SEM表征。测试结果表明所制备的CdS纳米粒子和CdS/ZnO的纳米复合结构粒子成分单一且纯净;ZnO复合在CdS表面;在紫外光(328.5 nm)激发下,CdS/ZnO纳米复合结构的发射峰位于463 nm处,峰形窄而对称,CdS/ZnO纳米复合结构的荧光强度比CdS纳米粒子的荧光强度有显著增强,且CdS和ZnO物质量之比为1∶1条件下,荧光强度最高,其荧光效率比单一CdS纳米粒子高出11%。通过第一性原理计算结果表明,CdS能带结构中,Cd-4d,S-3p和Cd-5s能带分别由5条、3条和1条能级构成,对比不同轨道的分态密度强度,看出CdS的导带边主要由Cd-5s轨道贡献,而价带边主要由S-3p轨道贡献,能量在-7 eV附近的电子态主要由Cd-4d轨道贡献。而ZnO上价带主要由O-2p电子构成,靠近费米能级的价带区域则主要由Zn-3d电子贡献,在导带部分,主要来源于Zn-4s和O-2p电子。由于在两种材料的复合结构中Zn-3d电子的能级和S-3p电子的能级接近,存在着二型带阶结构使能带变窄,容易形成跃迁,减小电子-空穴的复合,从而促进复合结构荧光效率的提高。     

HgTe/CdS/ZnS多壳层量子点的制备与表征

采用一种简单的方法合成HgTe/CdS/ZnS多壳层量子点。首先,以1-硫代甘油为稳定剂,在水相溶液中制备出HgTe核量子点;然后,采用外延生长法依次在HgTe核量子点表面包覆CdS和ZnS壳层,合成出最终具有稳定近红外发光的HgTe/CdS/ZnS多壳层量子点。该合成方法仅需3个步骤,具有操作简单、成本低廉的优点。实验结果显示,当反应温度为90 ℃、反应溶液pH为11.0、反应加热回流时间为4 min时,HgTe/CdS/ZnS多壳层量子点具有最高荧光量子产率36%。     

Speedy photoelectric exchange of CdSe quantum dots/mesoporous titania composite system

Two classes of important nano-materials, mesoporous titania (MT) and CdSe quantum dots, are prepared via chemical methods. Rapid immobilization of CdSe quantum dots into mesoporous titania has been achieved and the composite system is characterized by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and photoluminescence. The band-to-band photoluminescence emission of CdSe quantum dots is blue-shifted for 20 nm after the dots are immobilized into mesoporous titania. Loading CdSe quantum dots into mesoporous titania leads to speedy photoelectric exchange process of the system and a significant rise in photoconductivity (for a factor of 8), which would attract great deal of attention in quantum dots solar cell.     

Synthesis and luminescence of CdS quantum dots capped with a silica precursor

A novel synthesis method for efficiently luminescing CdS nanocrystals is reported using (3-mercaptopropyl)-trimethoxysilane (MPS) as a capping agent in THF or MeOH. The synthesis yields particles capped with a precursor for coating the particle with a silica shell and offers control over a wide range of particle sizes (2-) by varying the MPS concentration. The temperature dependence of the luminescence and the luminescence life time was studied and explained in terms of a donor-acceptor recombination process in which both electron and hole are trapped at low temperature. In addition to varying the emission color by controlling the particle size, nanocrystals were doped with Zn or Cu resulting in a blue shift or a red shift of the emission.     

Study on typical behavior of transient nature (I-t) and hysterisis nature of I–V characteristics of dye doped solid state thin film photoelectrochemical cell

In this present investigation, we describe the steady state current voltage (I–V) characteristic of Crystal violet dye dispersed solid state photoelectrochemical cell (PEC). Typical behavior of dark current-voltage characteristic by increasing and decreasing external bias voltage has a similar form like hysterisis in nature. Although we have already observed this hysterisis nature in case of both forward and reverse bias condition, yet it is clear that the reverse hysterisis curve is more prominent than forward hysterisis. In this paper, we are getting double values of current (I) for a single value voltage, which is also helpful to understand the charge transport process through disordered materials. As the bias increases, the distribution of traps depth, which is exponential in nature, changes toward order state (resulting increase in disordered parameter α) This means that as α increases, it tends to reach the most order state of material. When external bias voltage is at 3.5 V, the value of disorder parameter becomes 1, and when bias voltage is beyond 3.5 V, the diffusion comes enhanced in nature.     

硼-碳和硼-氮量子点器件的输运特性研究

用第一性原理研究了硼-碳和硼-氮量子点器件的输运特性以及电流电压特性.研究结果表明相同数量原子组成的硼-碳和硼-氮器件其输运特性及电流电压特性有很大差别.硼-碳器件在Fermi能附近有较大的态密度,而硼-氮器件的能级在Fermi能附近有很大的间隙,Fermi能位于间隙中.从电流特性中可以看出,硼-碳器件表现出导体的特性,而硼-氮器件表现出半导体的特性.     

Effects of the dark-exciton state on photoluminescence dynamics in surface-modified CdS quantum dots prepared by a colloidal method

We have investigated exciton dynamics in surface-modified CdS quantum dots (QDs) prepared by a colloidal method. The size- and surface-controlled CdS QDs have been successfully prepared by using a size-selective photoetching and surface modification technique. The decay profiles exhibit an unusual temperature dependence: increase of the decay time with increase in temperature. The temperature dependence of the decay profiles can be explained in terms of a three-level model including the exciton state with a triplet origin, the so-called dark-exciton state.     

Evaluation of electrical and optical characteristics of ZnO/CdS/CIS thin film solar cell

In this study, device modeling and simulation are conducted to explain the effects of each layer thickness and temperature on the performance of ZnO/CdS/CIS thin film solar cells. Also, the thicknesses of the CIS and CdS absorber layers are considered in this work theoretically and experimentally. The calculations of solar cell performances are based on the solutions of the well-known three coupling equations: the continuity equation for holes and electrons and the Poisson equation. Our simulated results show that the efficiency increases by reducing the CdS thickness. Increasing the CIS thickness can increase the efficiency but it needs more materials. The efficiency is more than 19% for a CIS layer with a thickness of 2 μm. CIS nanoparticles are prepared via the polyol route and purified through centrifugation and precipitation processes.Then nanoparticles are dispersed to obtain stable inks that could be directly used for thin-film deposition via spin coating.We also obtain x-ray diffraction(XRD) peak intensities and absorption spectra for CIS experimentally. Finally, absorption spectra for the CdS window layer in several deposition times are investigated experimentally.     

Chitosan hydrogel films as a template for mild biosynthesis of CdS quantum dots with highly efficient photocatalytic activity

Cadmium sulfide (CdS) semiconducting quantum dots (QDs) were prepared using in situ synthesizing method in crosslinked chitosan hydrogel films under relative mild experimental conditions and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The experimental results confirmed that crosslinked chitosan hydrogel films provided a confined matrix for CdS QDs growth in uniform size through chelation and electrostation between cadmium ions and amino groups in chitosan chains. The CdS QDs/chitosan composite films exhibited a highly efficient photocatalytic activity for decolorization of methyl orange (MO) solution under visible light irradiation. The good linearity relationship between ln (C₀/C_i) and irradiation time (t) indicated that the decolorization of MO dye under present experimental conditions followed pseudo-first-order kinetics. These results suggested that CdS QDs/chitosan composite films were suitable material for potential application in decolorization of organic dye pollutants under visible light irradiation.     

Luminescence decay of broadband emission from CdS quantum dots

The stretched exponential photoluminescence decay of the energy-resolved broadband emission of purified and unpurified CdS quantum dots (QDs) made in reverse micelles is characterized as a function of photolysis time and thiol addition. Photolysis is found to proportionately increase both the lifetime and quantum yield of these QDs. This proportionality is consistent with a simple parallel channel model of the decay of the excited states. The ultimate QY of the purified sample is found to be as high as 24%, which is twice that previously reported for this preparation. At −70 °C both the QY and the lifetime increase by more than a factor of two, indicating that thermal quenching limits the QY at room temperature. Finally, the addition of alkanethiols is shown to red-shift and quench the emission while only modestly altering the lifetime. These thiolated QDs show an extremely large temperature dependence of QY, demonstrating stronger thermal quenching than the unfunctionalized QDs.     

Synthesis and characterization of TiO2/Fe2O3 core-shell nanocomposition film and their photoelectrochemical property

TiO₂/Fe₂O₃ core-shell nanocomposition film has been fabricated via two-step method. TiO₂ nanorod arrays are synthesized by a facile hydrothermal method, and followed by Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles deposited on TiO₂ nanorod arrays through an ordinary chemical bath deposition. The phase structures, morphologies, particle size, chemical compositions of the composites have been characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) and ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectrophotometer. The results confirm that Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles of mean size ca. 10 nm coated on the surface of TiO2 NRs. After depositing Fe₂O₃, UV-vis absorption property is induces the shift to the visible-light range, the annealing temperature of 600 °C is the best condition for UV-vis absorption property of TiO₂/Fe₂O₃ nanocomposite film, and increasing Fe content, optical activity are enhanced one by one. The photoelectrochemical (PEC) performances of the as-prepared composite nanorods are determined by measuring the photo-generated currents under illumination of UV-vis light. The TiO₂ NRs modified by Fe₂O₃ show the photocurrent value of 1.36 mA/cm² at 0 V vs Ag/AgCl, which is higher than those of unmodified TiO₂ NRs.     

Enhancing the performance of thin film CdS/PbS photovoltaic solar cells

This work investigates dependence of the short-circuit current density, open-circuit voltage, fill factor and efficiency of a thin film CdS/PbS solar cell on thickness of transparent conductive oxide (TCO) layer, thickness of window layer (CdS), concentration of uncompensated acceptors (width of space-charge region), carrier lifetime in PbS and the reflectivity from metallic back contact. The effect of optical losses, front and rear recombination losses as well as the recombination losses on space-charge region are also considered in this study. As a result, by thinning the front contact layer indium tin oxide from 400 to 100 nm and window layer (CdS) from 200 to 100 nm it is possible to reduce the optical losses from 32 to 20%. The effect of electron lifetime on the internal and external quantum efficiency can be neglected at high width of the space-charge region. The maximum current density of 18.4 mA/cm² is achieved at wide space-charge region (concentration of uncompensated acceptors = 10¹⁵ cm^?3) and the longest lifetime (τ_n = 10^?6 s) where the optical and recombination losses are about 55%. The maximum efficiency of 5.17%, maximum open-circuit voltage of 417 mV and approximately fixed fill factor of 74% are yielded at optimum conditions such as: electron lifetime = 10^?6 s; concentration of uncompensated acceptors = 10¹⁶ cm^?3; thickness of TCO = 100 nm; thickness of CdS = 100 nm; velocity of surface and rear recombination = 10⁷ cm/s and thickness of absorber layer = 3 μm. When the reflectance from the back contact is 100%, the cell parameters improve and the cell efficiency records a value of 6.1% under the above conditions.     

圆柱状量子点量子导线复合系统的激子能量和电子概率分布

建立了圆柱状量子点量子导线复合系统中激子满足的方程，用微扰论求出激子能量.以CdS/HgS/CdS/HgS/CdS圆柱状量子点量子导线复合系统为例，研究了系统中电子的概率分布和系统线度对激子能量的影响.结果表明：系统中电子、空穴以及激子的能量均随量子点高度h₀的增大而减小，电子-空穴相互作用对基态激子能量的影响要大于激发态；电子沿径向方向的概率分布呈起伏状，在轴线和表面附近的概率趋于零，而在R/2附近概率最大；在量子点附近电子沿轴向方向的概率分布呈振荡特征 关键词： 量子点 量子导线 激子 能量     

Dynamic localization of two electrons in AC-driven triple quantum dots and quantum dot shuttles

We analyze the dynamic localization of two interacting electrons induced by alternating current electric fields in triple quantum dots and triple quantum dot shuttles. The calculation of the long-time averaged occupation probability shows that both the intra-and inter-dot Coulomb interaction can increase the localization of electrons even when the AC field is not very large. The mechanical oscillation of the quantum dot shuttles may keep the localization of electrons at a high level within a range if its frequency is quite a bit smaller than the AC field. However, the localization may be depressed if the frequency of the mechanical oscillation is the integer times of the frequency of the AC field. We also derive the analytical condition of two-electron localization both for triple quantum dots and quantum dot shuttles within the Floquet formalism.