In-Situ growth of cadmium telluride nanocrystals in poly(3-hexylthiophene) matrix for photovoltaic application

In the present study, nanocrystals of cadmium telluride (CdTe) have been directly synthesized in poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) matrix without use of any surfactant. In situ synthesis of nanoparticles in polymer matrix improves the polymer-nanoparticles interface, which facilitates efficient electronic interaction between them. Spectral results suggest that CdTe nanocrystals are bound with P3HT via dipole-dipole interaction and form a charge transfer complex. Structural and morphological studies reveal that CdTe works as transport media along/between the polymer chains, which facilitate percolation pathways for charge transport. Therefore, enhancement in current density has been observed for the bulk heterojunction (BHJ) device of P3HT-CdTe nanocomposites blended with PCBM. An open circuit voltage (VOC) of 0.80 V was obtained from the BHJ device due to the increase in the energy level offset between the donor and acceptor. This new photovoltaic element could provide a new nanoscale criterion for the investigation of photoinduced energy/charge transport in organic-inorganic interfaces.