Synthesis and characterization of transition metals doped CuO nanostructure and their application in hybrid bulk heterojunction solar cells

Abstract

Herein, transition metals i.e. Mn, Fe doped CuO nanostructures were synthesized via simple and facile wet chemical method. As-prepared materials were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), transmission electron microscope (TEM), ultraviolet–visible and emission spectroscopy. The XRD studies reveal that doped and un-doped CuO have single phase, suggesting the incorporation of Mn and Fe dopants in CuO lattice. Further, as-synthesized materials were used in the hybrid bulk heterojunction organic solar cell and it was found that the low concentration of doping increase the charge separation led to enhance the power conversion efficiency of the device as compared to high amount of doping. This increase in the power conversion efficiency of the prepared devices is mostly due to increase in fill factor and short-circuit current density upon doping of Mn:Fe to CuO nanostructures.