Photovoltaic cells fabricated utilizing core-shell CdSe/ZnSe quantum dot/multiwalled carbon nanotube heterostructures

Abstract

An efficient quenching of the photoluminescence spectrum was observed for the quantum dot (QD)-multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) nanocomposite. While the lifetime of the blue emission from ZnSe shell was significantly reduced, it did not exhibit any obvious change in the red emission from CdSe core-crystal. This difference revealed two competing charge transfer processes between the CdSe core-crystal, the ZnSe shell and the MWCNTs. Current-voltage measurements on devices fabricated utilizing CdSe QD-MWCNT nanocomposites showed photovoltaic (PV) effect under ultraviolet light illumination. Charge transfer mechanisms of the PV cells are described on the basis of the experimental results.