We have developed Near-infrared (NIR)-sensitive heterojunction cells consisting of n-type PbS colloidal quantum dots (CQDs) (low bandgap) anchored on the nanoporous TiO(2) (np-TiO(2), high-bandgap), and p-type spiro-OMeTAD (2,2',7,7'-tetrakis(N, N-di-p-methoxyphenylamine)9,9'-spirobifluorene). In these cells, an n-type np-TiO(2) layer acts both as a host that chemically binds to the PbS CQDs and as an electron carrier. The number of PbS CQDs loaded onto the np-TiO(2) layer not only increases the external quantum efficiency (EQE) but also reduces the response time in the NIR region. The performance of these devices increased upon the introduction of a TiO(x) layer between the PbS CQDs and spiro-OMeTAD followed by heat treatment at 110 degrees C for 1 min. (C) 2009 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved