Interface Engineering of Inorganic Thin‐Film Solar Cells – Materials‐Science Challenges for Advanced Physical Concepts

Abstract

The challenges and research needs for the interface engineering of thin‐film solar cells using inorganic‐compound semiconductors are discussed from a materials‐science point of view. It is, in principle, easily possible to define optimized device structures from physical considerations. However, to realize these structures, many materials' limitations must be overcome by complex processing strategies. In this paper, interface properties and growth morphology are discussed using CdTe solar cells as an example. The need for a better fundamental understanding of cause–effect relationships for improving thin‐film solar cells is emphasized.

Selective contacts drive charge extraction in quantum dot solids via asymmetry in carrier transfer kinetics

“…Usually a metal oxide is adopted as electron extraction contact and a high work function metal as hole extraction material 7 . Interfacial engineering to obtain efficient electrical contacts is a central effort of the field 8 . It has been recognized that contacts determine device operation for CQD films used in applications of solar cells as well as photodetectors, which has led to the investigation of different materials such as MoO 3 hole-selective layers, organic and nanostructured contact materials [9][10][11][12][13] .…”

“…The successful operation of CQDs in an efficient solar cell is strongly dependent on the material-processing strategies used in film formation. When CQD are synthesized in solution, they are usually capped by organic molecules that employ long chains (8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17)(18) carbons) to avoid agglomeration. Optimum photovoltaic operation of the CQD film requires the replacement of such ligands with short organic bidentate linkers, such as ethanedithiol or mercaptopropionic acid (MPA).…”

Optimisation of CdTe electrodeposition voltage for development of CdS/CdTe solar cells

“…It is a direct bandgap semiconductor with bulk bandgap energy of 1.45 eV which is close to the optimum for solar energy conversion using one bandgap p-n junction. Theoretical calculation shows that semiconductors with bandgap energy of 1.00 -2.00 eV are suitable for solar energy conversion [3]. Only two microns of CdTe will absorb most of incident solar radiation, whereas crystalline silicon needs to be at least 100 m thick to absorb the same amount of radiation [4].…”

Bilayer Porphyrin-Graphene Templates for Self-Assembly of Metal-Organic Frameworks on the Surface

“…Действительно, для неорга-нических материалов достаточно хорошо разработаны способы и условия нанесения наноструктурированных систем на поверхности твердых подложек, методы кон-троля их структуры, морфологии и свойств. [1][2][3][4] Подходы к формированию организованных слоев органических молекул развиты в меньшей степени. В тоже время, это направление имеет большие перспективы благодаря раз-нообразию функциональных (модульных) молекул (их синтез продолжается с высокой интенсивностью), мяг-кости условий супрамолекулярной сборки, адаптивно-сти систем к условиям функционирования и большому числу практически важных областей, которые не могут развиваться без таких объектов.…”