Solution-processed solar cells based on environmentally friendly AgBiS2 nanocrystals

Bernechea, María; Miller, Nichole Cates; Xercavins, Guillem; So, David; Stavrinadis, Alexandros; Konstantatos, Gerasimos

doi:10.1038/nphoton.2016.108

Cited by 358 publications

(565 citation statements)

References 36 publications

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“…The mixed Silver-Bismuth sulphur (AgBiS 2 ) material has recently driven much attention in the scientific research community due to its use in the nanocrystalline form for high-performance solar cells [1]. Moreover, its ultralow thermal conductivity allows for its use in thermoelectric power generation [2,3], and it has also been explored as sensitizer and/or counter-electrode in sensitized solar cells [4,5].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Matildite versus schapbachite: First-principles investigation of the origin of photoactivity inAgBiS2

et al. 2016

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Recent experiments motivated by solar light harvesting applications have brought a renewed interest in AgBiS 2 as an environmentally friendly material with appealing photovoltaic properties. The lack of detailed knowledge on its bulk structural and electronic structure however inhibits further development of this material. Here we have investigated by first principles quantum mechanical methods models of the two most commonly reported AgBiS 2 crystal structures, the room temperature matildite structure, and the metastable schapbachite. Density functional theory (DFT) based calculations using the Perdew-Burke-Ernzerhof exchange-correlation (xc) functional reveal that matildite can be 0.37 eV per AgBiS 2 stoichiometry unit more stable than a schapbachite structure in bulk, and that the latter, in its ordered form, may display a metallic electronic structure, precluding its use for solar light harvesting. This points out the fact that AgBiS 2 nanocrystals used in solar cells should present a structure based on matildite. Matildite is found to be an indirect gap semiconductor, with an estimated bandgap of ~1.5 eV according to DFT based calculations using the more accurate hybrid xc functionals. These reveal that hole effective mass is twice that of electron effective mass, with concomitant consequences for the generated exciton. Hybrid DFT calculations also show that matildite has a high dielectric constant pertinent to that of an ionic semiconductor and slightly higher than that of PbS, a material that has been extensively used in solar cells in its nanocrystalline form. The calculated Bohr exciton radius of 4.6 nm and the estimated absorption coefficient of 10 5 cm -1 within the solar light spectrum are well in line with those experimentally reported in the literature.2

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Matildite versus schapbachite: First-principles investigation of the origin of photoactivity inAgBiS2

et al. 2016

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“…[4,5] As a result of the involved growth mechanisms the cost of these technologies along with their CMOS incompatibility pose significant challenges in the exploitation of IR sensing for this increasing number of applications. To address these challenges, colloidal quantum dots (CQDs) with small bandgap [6][7][8][9][10] have been extensively studied as an alternative low-cost, CMOS-compatible optoelectronic platform for IR detectors. [11] HgSe and HgTe colloidal quantum dots, in particular, have been considered for IR detection due to their small, tunable bandgap through the full infrared spectrum [12][13][14][15][16] with very favourable optical properties.…”

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confidence: 99%

MoS₂–HgTe Quantum Dot Hybrid Photodetectors beyond 2 µm

2017

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Mercury telluride (HgTe) colloidal quantum dots (CQDs) have been developed as promising materials for the short and mid-wave infrared photodetection applications because of their low cost, solution processing and size tunable absorption in the short wave-and midinfrared spectrum. However, the low mobility and poor photo-gain have limited the responsivity of HgTe CQDs-based photodetectors to only tens of mA/W. Here, we integrated HgTe CQDs on a TiO2 encapsulated MoS2 transistor channel to form hybrid phototransistors with high responsivity of ~10 6 A/W, the highest reported to date for HgTe QDs. By operating the phototransistor in the depletion regime enabled by the gate modulated current of MoS2, the noise current is significantly suppressed leading to an experimentally measured specific detectivity D* of ~10 12Jones at a wavelength of 2 µm. This work demonstrates for the first time the potential of the hybrid 2D/QD detector technology in reaching out to wavelengths beyond 2 µm with compelling sensitivity.

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“…Although the lowestenergy room-temperature polymorph of AgBiS 2 is the hexagonal matildite structure, nanocrystals of AgBiS 2 have been reported to form a rock-salt structure. 45 AgBiS 2 has been employed in semiconductor-sensitized solar cells as a replacement for PbS. Thin films of AgBiS 2 have been fabricated by SILAR, 83 electrochemical atomic layer deposition, 84 and from solution processing of nanocrystals synthesized by the hot injection method.…”

Section: -10mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…85 For the former two, the devices had 2018) low open-circuit voltages and fill factors due to incomplete coverage of the electron transport layer exposing recombination pathways, while the latter used insulating ligands to cap AgBiS 2 nanocrystals. 45 Recently, Bernechea et al 45 showed that through tetramethylammonium iodide treatment of nanocrystal thin films, the average device efficiency improved threefold from 1.5% to 4.8% (with a champion certified device efficiency of 6.3%, Table I), the highest recorded efficiency for any of the bismuth compounds discussed. This work highlights the importance of exploring strategies to passivate defects when investigating new bismuth-based compounds.…”

Section: -10mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Research Update: Bismuth-based perovskite-inspired photovoltaic materials

et al. 2018

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Bismuth-based compounds have recently gained interest as solar absorbers with the potential to have low toxicity, be efficient in devices, and be processable using facile methods. We review recent theoretical and experimental investigations into bismuth-based compounds, which shape our understanding of their photovoltaic potential, with particular focus on their defect-tolerance. We also review the processing methods that have been used to control the structural and optoelectronic properties of single crystals and thin films. Additionally, we discuss the key factors limiting their device performance, as well as the future steps needed to ultimately realize these new materials for commercial applications.

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Solution-processed solar cells based on environmentally friendly AgBiS2 nanocrystals

Cited by 358 publications

References 36 publications

Matildite versus schapbachite: First-principles investigation of the origin of photoactivity inAgBiS2

Matildite versus schapbachite: First-principles investigation of the origin of photoactivity inAgBiS2

MoS₂–HgTe Quantum Dot Hybrid Photodetectors beyond 2 µm

Research Update: Bismuth-based perovskite-inspired photovoltaic materials

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Solution-processed solar cells based on environmentally friendly AgBiS2 nanocrystals

Cited by 358 publications

References 36 publications

Matildite versus schapbachite: First-principles investigation of the origin of photoactivity inAgBiS2

Matildite versus schapbachite: First-principles investigation of the origin of photoactivity inAgBiS2

MoS2–HgTe Quantum Dot Hybrid Photodetectors beyond 2 µm

Research Update: Bismuth-based perovskite-inspired photovoltaic materials

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Product

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MoS₂–HgTe Quantum Dot Hybrid Photodetectors beyond 2 µm