1 Fabrication of Hybrid Solar Cells using Poly (2,5-dimethoxyaniline) Hexagonal Structures and Zinc Oxide Nanorods

Flower-shaped zinc-oxide (ZnO) structures have been synthesized in a microwave at 180 ºC for 20 min using zinc nitrate and KOH. Detailed structural and morphology observations showed that the micron-size ZnO nano-pencils grow out of the base of the flower-shaped ZnO structures. Photoluminescence spectra measured at room temperature showed a sharp UV emission band around 390 nm, attributed to the radiative annihilation of excitons. The synthesized PDMA and ZnO nanopencils are highly crystalline materials with a one-dimensional morphology which improves the electron charge transport in the device. A distinctive photoluminescence quenching effect is observed indicating a photo-induced electron transfer. The solar cell devices fabricated from these materials demonstrated a short circuit current density of 0.93 µA/cm2, an open-circuit voltage of 0.58 V and an efficiency of 0.16%