{rfName}
Hi

Indexed in

License and use

Citations

31

Altmetrics

Article has an altmetric score of 3

Grant support

This work was financially supported by Universidad Industrial de Santander-Colciencias, project 110265843664 (VIE 8836). Andres F. Gualdron-Reyes acknowledges Colciencias for a PhD 617-scholarship. The authors are grateful to Jhonatan Rodriguez and Laboratorio de Superficies-SurfLab for spending valuable time in the XPS analysis.

Analysis of institutional authors

Alejandro Mejia-Escobar, MarioAuthor

Share

July 4, 2024
Publications
>
Article
No

Hidden energy levels? Carrier transport ability of CdS/CdS1-xSex quantum dot solar cells impacted by Cd-Cd level formation

Publicated to:Nanoscale. 11 (2): 762-774 - 2019-01-14 11(2), DOI: 10.1039/c8nr07073c

Authors: Gualdron-Reyes, Andres F; Melendez, Angel M; Tirado, Juan; Alejandro Mejia-Escobar, Mario; Jaramillo, Franklin; Nino-Gomez, Martha E

Affiliations

Univ Antioquia UdeA, Ctr Invest Innovac & Desarrollo Mat CIDEMAT, Calle 70 52-21, Medellin 050010, Colombia - Author
Univ Ind Santander, Ctr Invest Cient & Tecnol Mat & Nanociencias CMN, Piedecuesta 681011, Santander, Colombia - Author
Univ Ind Santander, Sede UIS Guatiguara, Ctr Invest Catalisis CICAT, Piedecuesta 681011, Santander, Colombia - Author

Abstract

In quantum dot sensitized solar cells (QDSSC), a cascade energy level structure controlled by assembly of cadmium-chalcogenide quantum dots can remarkably improve the sunlight harvesting and charge carrier lifetime. Despite the advantages of using co-sensitizers, energy conversion efficiencies are still low. An increased understanding of the causes of the low photoconversion efficiency (PCE) will contribute to the development of a straightforward approach to improve solar cell performance by exploiting co-sensitization. Herein we discuss how an excess of cadmium causes structural disorder and defect levels impacting the PCE of QDSSC devices. Thus, outer CdS1-xSex/inner CdS QD-co-sensitized B,N,F-co-doped-TiO2 nanotubes (BNF-TNT) were prepared. Chalcogenides were deposited by the SILAR method on BNF-TNT, varying the load of CdS as the inner sensitizer, while for CdS1-xSex, five SILAR cycles were used (5-CdS1-xSex), controlling the nominal S/Se molar ratio of the ternary alloy. Cd defects named as Cd-Cd energy levels were observed during CdS sensitization. Although incorporation of outer CdS1-xSex provides a tunable band gap to achieve good band alignment for carrier separation, Cd-Cd energy levels in the sensitizers act as recombination centers, limiting the overall electron flow at the BNF-TNT/CdS/CdS1-xSex interface. A maximum PCE of 2.58% was reached under standard AM 1.5G solar illumination at 100 mW cm(-2). Additional limitations of SILAR as a deposition strategy of QDs are also found to influence the PCE of QDSSC.

Keywords

Band alignmentBinary alloysCadmiumCadmium chalcogenidesCadmium sulfideCadmium sulfide solar cellsCarrier lifetimeChalcogenidesDefectsEfficiencyElectron injectionEnergy conversionEnergy gapEnergy level structuresFilmsHeterojunctioHeterostructureIi-vi semiconductorsIonic layer adsorptionNanocrystalsPhotoconversion efficiencyPhotoelectrochemical performanceQuantum chemistryQuantum dot solar cellsQuantum dot-sensitized solar cellsRecombination centersSemiconductor alloysSemiconductor quantum dotsSensitizationSolar cell performanceSolar cellsStructural disordersTernary alloysTio2Titanium dioxideYarn

Quality index

Bibliometric impact. Analysis of the contribution and dissemination channel

The work has been published in the journal Nanoscale due to its progression and the good impact it has achieved in recent years, according to the agency WoS (JCR), it has become a reference in its field. In the year of publication of the work, 2019, it was in position 23/155, thus managing to position itself as a Q1 (Primer Cuartil), in the category Physics, Applied.

From a relative perspective, and based on the normalized impact indicator calculated from World Citations from Scopus Elsevier, it yields a value for the Field-Weighted Citation Impact from the Scopus agency: 1.07, which indicates that, compared to works in the same discipline and in the same year of publication, it ranks as a work cited above average. (source consulted: ESI Nov 14, 2024)

This information is reinforced by other indicators of the same type, which, although dynamic over time and dependent on the set of average global citations at the time of their calculation, consistently position the work at some point among the top 50% most cited in its field:

  • Field Citation Ratio (FCR) from Dimensions: 1.55 (source consulted: Dimensions Jul 2025)

Specifically, and according to different indexing agencies, this work has accumulated citations as of 2025-07-26, the following number of citations:

  • WoS: 15
  • Scopus: 16

Impact and social visibility

From the perspective of influence or social adoption, and based on metrics associated with mentions and interactions provided by agencies specializing in calculating the so-called "Alternative or Social Metrics," we can highlight as of 2025-07-26:

  • The use, from an academic perspective evidenced by the Altmetric agency indicator referring to aggregations made by the personal bibliographic manager Mendeley, gives us a total of: 30.
  • The use of this contribution in bookmarks, code forks, additions to favorite lists for recurrent reading, as well as general views, indicates that someone is using the publication as a basis for their current work. This may be a notable indicator of future more formal and academic citations. This claim is supported by the result of the "Capture" indicator, which yields a total of: 29 (PlumX).

With a more dissemination-oriented intent and targeting more general audiences, we can observe other more global scores such as:

  • The Total Score from Altmetric: 2.75.
  • The number of mentions on the social network X (formerly Twitter): 5 (Altmetric).

Leadership analysis of institutional authors

This work has been carried out with international collaboration, specifically with researchers from: Colombia.