Microwave-assisted hydrothermal synthesis of copper selenides (Cu2−x Se) thin films for quantum dots-sensitized solar cells

Abstract In this work, copper selenide (Cu 2− x Se) thin films were grown on FTO conductive glass substrates using a facile microwave-assisted hydrothermal method. The effects of synthesis parameters such as precursor components and deposition time on the stoichiometry and morphology of the synthesized films were systematically investigated through different techniques including XRD, SEM, and AFM. In order to evaluate the electrochemical catalytic performance of the synthesized copper selenide in electrolyte containing the sulfide/polysulfide redox couple, we assembled liquid-junction quantum dots-sensitized solar cells (QDSSC) using the synthesized copper selenide thin films as counter electrodes and CdSe quantum dots-sensitized mesoporous TiO 2 as photoanodes. Under the illumination of one Sun (100 mW cm −2 ), the QDSSC assembled with the optimal copper selenide CEs (Cu:Se = 1:1) exhibited a power conversion efficiency of 2.07%, which is much higher than that of traditional Pt counter electrode (0.76%).