Efficiency enhancement of solid-state PbS quantum dot-sensitized solar cells with Al2O3 barrier layer

Brennan, Thomas P.; Trejo, Orlando; Roelofs, Katherine E.; Xu, John; Prinz, Fritz B.; Bent, Stacey F.

doi:10.1039/c3ta10903h

Cited by 57 publications

(54 citation statements)

References 55 publications

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“…6a) as expected from the DSSC literature. Al 2 O 3 deposition after the QD only reduced recombination between the TiO 2 and HTM; however, The in situ deposition of both barrier layer and light absorber via ALD, 74 as carried out for the PbS QDSSC system, allows for barrier layer studies in which the chances of surface contamination are minimized because vacuum processes are used for both steps. 6b: TiO 2 /QD/Al 2 O 3 and TiO 2 / Al 2 O 3 /QD where the barrier layer is deposited either before or after the quantum dot sensitizers.…”

Section: Quantum Dot Sensitized Solar Cellsmentioning

confidence: 58%

“…The growth rate of CdS showed two significantly different regimes as illustrated in Fig. 74 The sizes of the PbS QDs after 10 cycles were distributed from 2.8 to 4.8 nm and the coverage of PbS QDs on the mesoporous TiO 2 was uniform (Fig. The nucleation period for the first 20 cycles had a growth rate of only ∼0.2 Å per cycle, followed by a standard growth regime with a higher growth rate of ∼1.3 Å per cycle.…”

Section: Qd Sensitizers In Qdsscsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Atomic layer deposition in nanostructured photovoltaics: tuning optical, electronic and surface properties

2015

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Nanostructured materials offer key advantages for third-generation photovoltaics, such as the ability to achieve high optical absorption together with enhanced charge carrier collection using low cost components. However, the extensive interfacial areas in nanostructured photovoltaic devices can cause high recombination rates and a high density of surface electronic states. In this feature article, we provide a brief review of some nanostructured photovoltaic technologies including dye-sensitized, quantum dot sensitized and colloidal quantum dot solar cells. We then introduce the technique of atomic layer deposition (ALD), which is a vapor phase deposition method using a sequence of self-limiting surface reaction steps to grow thin, uniform and conformal films. We discuss how ALD has established itself as a promising tool for addressing different aspects of nanostructured photovoltaics. Examples include the use of ALD to synthesize absorber materials for both quantum dot and plasmonic solar cells, to grow barrier layers for dye and quantum dot sensitized solar cells, and to infiltrate coatings into colloidal quantum dot solar cell to improve charge carrier mobilities as well as stability. We also provide an example of monolayer surface modification in which adsorbed ligand molecules on quantum dots are used to tune the band structure of colloidal quantum dot solar cells for improved charge collection. Finally, we comment on the present challenges and future outlook of the use of ALD for nanostructured photovoltaics.

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Section: Quantum Dot Sensitized Solar Cellsmentioning

confidence: 58%

Section: Qd Sensitizers In Qdsscsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Atomic layer deposition in nanostructured photovoltaics: tuning optical, electronic and surface properties

2015

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“…In addition, poor chemical stability of ZnO makes it easy to react with the electrolyte and decreases the performance of the SSCs. To suppress the surface trap states and surface recombination, surface passivation by coating the photoanode with a thin layer of wide band‐gap material, such as ZnSe, TiO 2 , Al 2 O 3 , ZnS, and CdS, has been investigated. The coating is typically chemical stable in the electrolyte, and also has a more negative conduction band edge than that of ZnO or creates a dipole at the interface to upshift the band edge so as to block trap states and suppress surface recombination, leading to a drastic enhancement of photovoltaic performance.…”

Section: Sscs Based On Zno Nanostructuresmentioning

confidence: 99%

Surface Engineering of ZnO Nanostructures for Semiconductor‐Sensitized Solar Cells

et al. 2014

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Semiconductor-sensitized solar cells (SSCs) are emerging as promising devices for achieving efficient and low-cost solar-energy conversion. The recent progress in the development of ZnO-nanostructure-based SSCs is reviewed here, and the key issues for their efficiency improvement, such as enhancing light harvesting and increasing carrier generation, separation, and collection, are highlighted from aspects of surface-engineering techniques. The impact of other factors such as electrolyte and counter electrodes on the photovoltaic performance is also addressed. The current challenges and perspectives for the further advance of ZnO-based SSCs are discussed.

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“…The most widely used method is surface modification, which could reduce the recombination site or act as the blocking layer to restrain the recombination process. According to the recent reports, oxide materials (Al 2 O 3 , MgO and SiO 2 ) were applied to QDSCs to be used as the barrier layer . However, the thickness of insulating modification is difficult to control because that if the layer is too thin, it can hardly suppress the recombination, and if the layer is too thick, it would influence the injection and separation of photogenerated electrons.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Suppress the Charge Recombination in Quantum Dot Sensitized Solar Cells by Construct the Al–treated TiO₂/TiO₂ NRAs Heterojunctions

Qiu

Zhao

et al. 2016

ChemistrySelect

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There are many paths of recombination at the TiO 2 /CdS/ electrolyte interface. It is important to reduce the recombination rate of charges to improve the photoelectric properties of quantum dot sensitized solar cells (QDSCs). In this paper, the TiO 2 nanowire arrays (TiO 2 NRAs) has been modified with Altreated TiO 2 layer by sol-gel method to construct the Al-treated TiO 2 /TiO 2 NRAs heterojunctions. The analysis results reveal that the Fermi level of the TiO 2 has changed after being modified by Al-treated TiO 2 layer, which could form the interface electric field. The SPV, TPV and the TPC are applied to analyze the mechanism of photogenerated charge recombination. Due to the interface electric field, the SPV indicates that the separation efficiency of charge is improved; the TPV shows that the recombination of the photogenerated electrons with holes would be suppressed; and the TPC illustrates that the recombination of the photogenerated electrons with holes and electrolyte is reduced. And, the lifetime of the photo-generated electrons is prolonged. Consequently, the QDSCs based on TiO 2 NRAs photoelectrodes modified by the Al-treated TiO 2 layer exhibit a maximal solar energy conversion efficiency of 2.58 %, which is 45 % higher than that of the TiO 2 NRAs photoelectrode. Finally, our method of modifying photoanode exhibits a route to restrain the charge recombination and prolong the lifetime of photo-generated electrons, which shows a tremendous potential for the photoelectrochemical fields.[a] Dr.

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Efficiency enhancement of solid-state PbS quantum dot-sensitized solar cells with Al2O3 barrier layer

Cited by 57 publications

References 55 publications

Atomic layer deposition in nanostructured photovoltaics: tuning optical, electronic and surface properties

Atomic layer deposition in nanostructured photovoltaics: tuning optical, electronic and surface properties

Surface Engineering of ZnO Nanostructures for Semiconductor‐Sensitized Solar Cells

Suppress the Charge Recombination in Quantum Dot Sensitized Solar Cells by Construct the Al–treated TiO₂/TiO₂ NRAs Heterojunctions

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Efficiency enhancement of solid-state PbS quantum dot-sensitized solar cells with Al2O3 barrier layer

Cited by 57 publications

References 55 publications

Atomic layer deposition in nanostructured photovoltaics: tuning optical, electronic and surface properties

Atomic layer deposition in nanostructured photovoltaics: tuning optical, electronic and surface properties

Surface Engineering of ZnO Nanostructures for Semiconductor‐Sensitized Solar Cells

Suppress the Charge Recombination in Quantum Dot Sensitized Solar Cells by Construct the Al–treated TiO2/TiO2 NRAs Heterojunctions

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Product

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Suppress the Charge Recombination in Quantum Dot Sensitized Solar Cells by Construct the Al–treated TiO₂/TiO₂ NRAs Heterojunctions