Metal Oxide Interlayers Enable Lower-Cost Electrodes in PbS QD Solar Cells

PbS quantum dots (QDs) are an emerging light-absorbing material for thin-film solar cells. However, state-of-the-art solar cell architectures rely on a gold electrode, which raises material costs to 3× more than the 2030 US DOE SunShot target module price. Here, we enable both aluminum and copper el...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:ACS applied energy materials 2023-06, Vol.6 (11), p.5646-5652
Main Authors: Wassweiler, Ella L., Sponseller, Melany, Osherov, Anna, Jean, Joel, Bawendi, Moungi G., Bulovic, Vladimir
Format: Article
Language:English
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Summary:PbS quantum dots (QDs) are an emerging light-absorbing material for thin-film solar cells. However, state-of-the-art solar cell architectures rely on a gold electrode, which raises material costs to 3× more than the 2030 US DOE SunShot target module price. Here, we enable both aluminum and copper electrodes to replace gold through a NiOx interlayer. An additional indium tin oxide (ITO) buffer layer between the NiOx interlayer and electrode further enables longer shelf lifetimes. By combining these layers, we lower electrode material costs in PbS QD solar cells by a factor of 130000 without compromising power conversion efficiency or stability.
ISSN:2574-0962
2574-0962
DOI:10.1021/acsaem.3c00356