Au nanoparticle-embedded ZnO nanowire arrays were synthesized using hydrothermal growth method.
The ZnO shell exhibited the same atomic arrangements as ZnO nanowire, indicating the single crystalline of ZnO.
The plasmonic enhancement of Au nanoparticle-embedded ZnO nanowire array dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) was demonstrated.
The enhancement of conversion efficiency of DSSCs was discussed theoretically using finite element method.