CIS nanocrystals (NCs) have been applied in quantum dot-sensitized solar cells (QDSCs) as the light-absorbing layer. The value of bandgap energy and positions of conduction and valance band edges could be controlled by both size and composition of the nanocrystals. It is also Cd-free and can be synthesized with the hot-injection and usual aqueous chemical precipitation methods. Nevertheless, the hot injection method is carried out using the expensive and toxic materials and complicated experimental setups. Here we propose a facile chemical precipitation approach for the synthesis of CIS NCs. Then they have been utilized in the TiO2 NPs/CIS/ZnS and TiO2 NPs/CIS/CdS/ZnS photoanode structures of the conventional QDSCs. Diferent concentrations of thioglycolic acid as the capping agent and the refux time were altered in a wide range to investigate the bandgap energy and dispersion/deposition of the synthesized NCs. The number of SILAR deposition cycles for the co-light absorbing CdS QDs flm was also changed for beter photovoltaic performance of corresponding QDSCs. TiO2 hollow spheres (HSs) were fnally applied to enhance the light scatering and absorption. The results demonstrated that the pioneer cell with TiO2 NPs/TiO2 HSs/CIS/CdS/ZnS photoanode including the CIS QDs synthesized in 60 min of the refux time, 1M concentration of TGA and 2 CDs SILAR deposition cycles revealed a Jsc = 22.93 mA/cm2 , Voc = 581 mV, FF = 0.4 and power conversion efciency of 5.31%. This PCE was improved about 83% and 43% compared to those of the reference cells with TiO2 NPs/CIS/ZnS and TiO2 NPs/TiO2 HSs/CIS/ZnS photoelectrodes.
