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Abstract
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Plasmonic solar cells are desirable because of their high efficiency and cost-effectiveness compared to secondgeneration solar cells. In this research, the photoanode of cadmium chalcogenide quantum dot-sensitized solar
cells (QDSSCs) was modified by growing gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) arrays on the Fluorine-doped Tin Oxide
(FTO) coated glass slide. To fabricate plasmonic nanoparticle arrays, the colloidal lithography technique
applying monodisperse polymeric microspheres was used. A monolayer of Poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)
microspheres, as a template, was deposited on the substrate using the gas–liquid interface deposition technique.
Then, a thin film of Au with different thicknesses was deposited on the template using the magnetron sputtering
method. After removing the polymeric template by calcination and chemical etching methods, homogeneous
arrays of AuNPs remained on the FTO surface. Then, solar cells sensitized with ternary CdS1-xSex quantum dots
(QDs) were fabricated with the structure of FTO-AuNPs/TiO2/CdS1-xSex. Photovoltaic (PV) parameters were
strengthened by increasing light absorption, electron extraction, and decreasing recombination rate (Jsc = 19.95
mA cm− 2, Voc = 0.55 V, FF = 0.54).
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