Industrially scalable and cost-effective Mn super(2+) doped Zn sub(x)Cd sub(1-x)S/ZnS nanocrystals with 70% photoluminescence quantum yield, as efficient down-shifting materials in photovoltaics

We present colloidally stable and highly luminescent Zn sub(x)Cd sub(1-x)S:Mn/ZnS core-shell nanocrystals (NCs) synthesized via a simple non-injection one-pot, two-step synthetic route, which can be easily upscaled. A systematic variation of the reaction component, parameters and thickness of the Zn...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Energy & environmental science 2016-03, Vol.9 (3), p.1083-1094
Main Authors: Levchuk, I, Wuerth, C, Krause, F, Osvet, A, Batentschuk, M, Resch-Genger, U, Kolbeck, C, Herre, P, Steinrueck, H P, Peukert, W, Brabec, C J
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Devices
Nanocrystals
Photoluminescence
Photovoltaic cells
Semiconductors
Silicon
Solar cells
Zinc sulfides
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:We present colloidally stable and highly luminescent Zn sub(x)Cd sub(1-x)S:Mn/ZnS core-shell nanocrystals (NCs) synthesized via a simple non-injection one-pot, two-step synthetic route, which can be easily upscaled. A systematic variation of the reaction component, parameters and thickness of the ZnS shell yielded doped nanocrystals with a very high photoluminescence quantum yield ( Phi sub(pl)) of 70%, which is the highest value yet reported for these Mn-doped sulfide-semiconductor NCs. These materials can be synthesized with high reproducibility in large quantities of the same high quality, i.e., the same Phi sub(pl) using accordingly optimized reaction conditions. The application of these zero-reabsorption high quality NCs in the light conversion layers, deposited on top of a commercial monocrystalline silicon (mono-Si) solar cell, led to a significant enhancement of the external quantum efficiency (EQE) of this device in the ultraviolet spectral region between 300 and 400 nm up to ca. 12%. EQE enhancement is reflected by an increase in the power conversion efficiency (PCE) by nearly 0.5 percentage points and approached the theoretical limit (0.6%) expected from down-shifting for this Si solar cell. The resulting PCE may result in a BoM (bill of materials) cost reduction of app. 3% for mono-Si photovoltaic modules. Such small but distinct improvements are expected to pave the road for an industrial application of doped semiconductor NCs as cost-effective light converters for silicon photovoltaic (PV) and other optoelectronic applications.
ISSN:1754-5692
1754-5706
DOI:10.1039/c5ee03165f