Interest in the synthesis of novel solar energy conversion (SEC) materials has been increasing due to the high processing costs and rarity of materials currently defining the state of the art.  Two theoretically useful materials to meet this need are Fe2O3 and CuO nanowires (NWs).  These wide band gap semiconductors only cover a small cross section of the solar spectrum, this can be mediated by photosensitizing them with a small band gap semiconductor.  PbSe quantum dots (QDs) were grown on the surface of the NWs.  Epitaxially connected materials should offer a stability other types of photosensitizing cannot.  The synthesis was performed through hot injection solution method in the presence of the NWs.  The heterostructures produced were analyzed using both Scanning and Tunneling electron Microscopy (SEM, TEM) to observe the distribution of crystals on the wires as well as to look at the connection.

Nanoscale semiconductor heterostructures for solar energy conversion

243rd National Meeting (2012)

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