Ultrafast Charge Separation at the CdSe/CdS Core/Shell Quantum Dot/Methylviologen Interface: Implications for Nanocrystal Solar Cells

Exciton separation dynamics in the electron transfer system containing highly photostable CdSe/CdS core/shell nanocrystal quantum dots and adsorbed methylviologen was investigated by means of femtosecond absorption spectroscopy. The experiments revealed that electron extraction from the photoexcited core is possible, and the rate of the ET reaction strongly depends on the CdS shell thickness. A CdS associated exponential decay constant β of 0.33 A−1 was obtained reflecting the electronic barrier effect of the shell. These findings show that core/shell structures are well suited for the design of optimized QD-based solar cells.