Effect of annealing temperature of MoO3 layer in MoO3/Au/MoO3 (MAM) coated PbS QDs sensitized ZnO nanorods/FTO glass solar cell

Abstract This research reports fabrication of MoO3/Au/MoO3 (MAM) coated PbS sensitized quantum dot solar cell. ZnO nanorod grown FTO glass substrates were sensitized by PbS quantum dots (PbS QDs/ZnO nanorods/FTO Glass), followed by (MoO3/Au/MoO3) coating. Hydrothermal process was used to grow ZnO nanorods, followed by the deposition of PbS QDs using Successive Ionic Layer Adsorption and Reaction (SILAR). Finally, (MoO3/Au/MoO3) layers were deposited for the back contact. Spin coating was used to deposit MoO3 layers while middle layer of Au was deposited by sputter coating. Three such devices were fabricated with three different annealing temperatures i.e. 100 °C, 150 °C and 200 °C for first MoO3 layer. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) was used for surface morphology of the devices; Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy Analysis (EDS) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) techniques were used for elemental and structural analysis, Optical properties of the devices were determined using UV–Visible analysis. Power conversion efficiency (PCE) of all three devices was obtained to observe devices performance. Improved PCE of 4.617% was obtained by the device with the thermal treatment of 150 °C.