Folded-Light-Path Colloidal Quantum Dot Solar Cells

Colloidal quantum dot photovoltaics combine low-cost solution processing with quantum size-effect tuning to match absorption to the solar spectrum. Rapid advances have led to certified solar power conversion efficiencies of over 7%. Nevertheless, these devices remain held back by a compromise in the...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Scientific reports 2013-07, Vol.3 (1), p.2166-2166, Article 2166
Main Authors: Koleilat, Ghada I., Kramer, Illan J., Wong, Chris T. O., Thon, Susanna M., Labelle, André J., Hoogland, Sjoerd, Sargent, Edward H.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
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639/925/357/354
Absorption
Humanities and Social Sciences
multidisciplinary
Photovoltaic cells
Photovoltaics
Quantum dots
Science
Short-circuit current
Solar cells
Solar power
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Summary:Colloidal quantum dot photovoltaics combine low-cost solution processing with quantum size-effect tuning to match absorption to the solar spectrum. Rapid advances have led to certified solar power conversion efficiencies of over 7%. Nevertheless, these devices remain held back by a compromise in the choice of quantum dot film thickness, balancing on the one hand the need to maximize photon absorption, mandating a thicker film, and, on the other, the need for efficient carrier extraction, a consideration that limits film thickness. Here we report an architecture that breaks this compromise by folding the path of light propagating in the colloidal quantum dot solid. Using this method, we achieve a substantial increase in short-circuit current, ultimately leading to improved power conversion efficiency.
ISSN:2045-2322
2045-2322
DOI:10.1038/srep02166