Solution-processed, nanostructured hybrid solar cells with broad spectral sensitivity and stability

Hybrid organic-inorganic solar cells, as an alternative to all-organic solar cells, have received significant attention for their potential advantages in combining the solution-processability and versatility of organic materials with high charge mobility and environmental stability of inorganic semiconductors. Here we report efficient and air-stable hybrid organic-inorganic solar cells with broad spectral sensitivity based on a low-gap polymer poly[2,6-(4,4-bis-(2-ethylhexyl)-4H-cyclopenta[2,1-b;3,4-b']-dithiophene)-alt-4,7-(2,1,3-benzothiadiazole)] (PCPDTBT) and spherical CdSe nanoparticles. The solvents used for depositing the hybrid PCPDTBT:CdSe active layer were shown to strongly influence the film morphology, and subsequently the photovoltaic performance of the resulted solar cells. Appropriate post-deposition annealing of the hybrid film was also shown to improve the solar cell efficiency. The inclusion of a thin ZnO nanoparticle layer between the active layer and the metal cathode leads to a significant increase in device efficiency especially at long wavelengths, due to a combination of optical and electronic effects including more optimal light absorption in the active layer and elimination of unwanted hole leakage into the cathode. Overall, maximum power conversion efficiencies up to 3.7 ± 0.2% and spectral sensitivity extending above 800 nm were achieved in such PCPDTBT:CdSe nanosphere hybrid solar cells. Furthermore, the devices with a ZnO nanoparticle layer retained ～70% of the original efficiency after storage under ambient laboratory conditions for over 60 days without any encapsulation.     

Tin and germanium monochalcogenide IV-VI semiconductor nanocrystals for use in solar cells

The incorporation of colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals into the photoabsorbant material of photovoltaic devices may reduce the production costs of solar cells since nanocrystals can be readily synthesized on a large scale and are solution processable. While the lead chalcogenide IV-VI nanocrystals have been widely studied in a variety of photovoltaic devices, concerns over the toxicity of lead have motivated the exploration of less toxic materials. This has led to the exploration of tin and germanium monochalcogenide IV-VI semiconductors, both of which are made up of earth abundant elements and possess properties similar to the lead chalcogenides. This feature article highlights recent efforts made towards achieving synthetic control over nanocrystal size and morphology of the non-lead containing IV-VI monochalcogenides (i.e., SnS, SnSe, SnTe, GeS and GeSe) and their application toward photovoltaic devices.     

A simple and scalable graphene patterning method and its application in CdSe nanobelt/graphene Schottky junction solar cells

We have developed a simple and scalable graphene patterning method using electron-beam or ultraviolet lithography followed by a lift-off process. This method, with the merits of: high pattern resolution and high alignment accuracy, being free from additional etching or harsh processes, being universal to arbitrary substrates, and being compatible to Si microelectronic technology, can easily be applied to diverse graphene-based devices, especially in array-based applications, where large-scale graphene patterns are desired. We have applied this method to fabricate CdSe nanobelt (NB)/graphene Schottky junction solar cells, which have potential applications in integrated nano-optoelectronic systems. A typical as-fabricated solar cell shows excellent photovoltaic behavior, with an open-circuit voltage of ～0.51 V, a short-circuit current density of ～5.75 mA cm(-2), and an energy conversion efficiency of ～1.25%. We attribute the high performance of the cell to the as-patterned high-performance graphene, which can form an ideal Schottky contact with CdSe NB. Our results suggest that both the developed graphene patterning method and the as-fabricated CdSe NB/graphene Schottky junction solar cells have reachable application prospects.     

Synthesis of a selenium and germanium containing random copolymer as an acceptor for all‐polymer solar cells

For the need of electron‐transporting and electron‐affinity materials, n‐type polymers (as acceptor) have gained a lot of attention recently. We have synthesized a selenium and germanium containing copolymer as the acceptor for all‐polymer solar cells (all‐PSCs). The copolymer has larger p‐orbital selenium and germanium atoms for more electron transition from pi to pi* to enlarge light harvest of polymer. To prepare the copolymer, a monomer containing d‐orbital atom, selenium, was first synthesized from low‐cost starting materials. A random copolymer was prepared from the monomer with a commercial germanium containing monomer via palladium catalyzed Stille coupling reaction. Taking the side‐chain effect into account, we incorporated dodecyloxy group to increase the solubility of the polymer and also increase the coplanarity by oxygen–sulfur (S–O) interaction. Despite the low short‐circuit current density (Jsc) value, the random copolymer with 3d‐orbital electrons has the potential to be the candidate for n‐type material. In comparison, we also fabricated P3HT/PffBT4T‐2OD all‐PSCs, acquiring PCE of about 0.5% without any additive. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 58:387–394, 2018. © 2017 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Upconversion in solar cells

The possibility to tune chemical and physical properties in nanosized materials has a strong impact on a variety of technologies, including photovoltaics. One of the prominent research areas of nanomaterials for photovoltaics involves spectral conversion. Modification of the spectrum requires down- and/or upconversion or downshifting of the spectrum, meaning that the energy of photons is modified to either lower (down) or higher (up) energy. Nanostructures such as quantum dots, luminescent dye molecules, and lanthanide-doped glasses are capable of absorbing photons at a certain wavelength and emitting photons at a different (shorter or longer) wavelength. We will discuss upconversion by lanthanide compounds in various host materials and will further demonstrate upconversion to work for thin-film silicon solar cells.     

Semitransparent polymer solar cells

Bulk heterojunction based polymer:fullerene solar cells have attracted intensive research interest both in academic and industrial communities in the last two decades, mainly related to their potential low‐cost production process. A power conversion efficiency of over 10% has been reported recently, making the commercialization of this clean and cheap solar energy convertor a realistic prospect for the near future. The intrinsic features of semitransparency and color tunability of the thin polymeric photoactive films are the greatest asset for polymer solar cells. Recently, aesthetic semitransparent polymer solar cells (ST‐PSCs) that can be integrated into transparent windows, roofs, glass and other semitransparent architectural elements have received much attention. In this perspective paper, we present the progress in achieving high performance ST‐PSCs, discuss the requirements for transparent electrodes, focusing on alternatives to tin‐doped indium oxide, and address the challenges ahead to make ST‐PSC viable for real applications. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry     

Porous CdS-sensitized electrochemical solar cells

In inorganic semiconductor (such as CdS)-sensitized solar cells, isolated nanoparticles (including quantum dots) or Porous semiconducting layers are particularly efficient and effective in extracting charge carriers generated by solar energy, without a serious recombination among sensitizers. In this study, porously structured CdS was formed by spray pyrolysis deposition (SPD) using an excess cadmium chloride and thiourea aqueous mixture solution onto an mp-TiO₂ substrate pre-heated to 450 °C in an air atmosphere and subsequent washing of the excess cadmium chloride using deionized water. As expected, the power conversion efficiency of a photoelectrochemical solar cell fabricated with the porous CdS was greatly improved, to 1.71%, the highest efficiency ever reported for CdS-sensitized solar cells employing polysulfide as an electrolyte. This improvement in performance is attributed to the efficient transport of the charge carriers generated in CdS.     

Dye-sensitized solar cells employing polymers

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) are of interest due to their potential use as inexpensive and environmentally friendly photovoltaic (PV) devices with acceptable power conversion efficiency (PCE). Platinum (Pt) metal is, traditionally, the preferred material for the counter electrode (CE) component of DSSCs, however, further development of iodide/triiodide (I⁻/I₃⁻) based liquid-electrolyte DSSCs using Pt remains challenging due to the high cost of this scarce metal and its susceptibility to corrosion. Additional concerns include solvent leakage and low chemical stability resulting from volatile liquid electrolyte used in DSSCs. In order to counteract this issue, polymer electrolytes or hole-transporters with higher mobilities are employed as a replacement for liquid electrolytes. In this regard, polymers can serve as efficient CE materials by replacing the platinized electrode in liquid-electrolyte DSSCs, while also substituting for the liquid electrolytes as polymer electrolytes or hole-transporters in solid-state or quasi solid-state DSSCs. Considering the fragility and shape restrictions of glass substrates, polymer substrates may also be used to replace rigid glass substrates, providing more flexible DSSCs. Herein, applications of the polymers as cell components (CEs, polymer electrolytes or hole-transporter, and plastic substrates) in DSSCs are discussed, with special focus on the role that polymers play in DSSCs and widely accepted reports of PV performance. The current understanding of the factors and strategies involved in improving the performance of polymers in DSSCs are reviewed and analyzed. In addition, the benefits, challenges and potential utility of polymers for use in DSSCs are assessed.     

钙钛矿太阳电池的研究进展

介绍了卤铅铵钙钛矿（CH3NH3PbX3,X = Cl、Br、I）的结构及其在新型无机-有机杂化异质结钙钛矿太阳电池中的应用,阐述了钙钛矿太阳电池的结构与工作原理,着重从钙钛矿太阳电池的致密层、钙钛矿吸收层（有骨架层和无骨架层）及有机空穴传输层三个重要组成部分的材料、微结构及制备方法等方面分析了钙钛矿太阳电池的研究进展及存在的问题。并结合不同课题组的研究成果评价了钙钛矿太阳电池各组成部分相应的材料、微结构及制备方法等对太阳电池光伏性能和长期稳定性的影响。此外还介绍并比较了反转结构与柔性太阳电池的光伏性能,简要讨论了钙钛矿太阳电池的各层材料、结构、有毒重金属的替代、长期稳定性等方面的发展趋势。     

染料敏化纳米晶太阳能电池用密封胶

染料敏化纳米晶太阳能电池(DSSC)因其制造成本远低于单晶硅和多晶硅太阳能电池,在石油资源紧张的现代备受瞩目,是继燃料电池之后新能源开发的又一热点。在实用化过程中,电解液的密封是一个至关重要又难于解决的关键技术。本文就电解液密封的技术要求介绍三键公司开发的紫外线固化型密封胶。     

Semiconductor nanostructure-based photovoltaic solar cells

Substantial efforts have been devoted to design, synthesize, and integrate various semiconductor nanostructures for photovoltaic (PV) solar cells. In this article, we will review the recent progress in this exciting area and cover the material chemistry and physics related to all-inorganic nanostructure solar cells, hybrid inorganic nanostructure-conductive polymer composite solar cells, and dye-sensitized solar cells.     

Solution-processed BiFeO3 thin films with low leakage current

Bismuth ferrite (BiFeO₃) is an attractive multiferroic material that shows strong ferroelectric and antiferromagnetic properties. Nevertheless, producing high-quality oriented BiFeO₃ on technology-important platinized silicon substrates by low-cost solution deposition methods is still challenging. In this work, polycrystalline Mn and Ti co-doped BiFeO₃ (BFO) thin films were fabricated on platinized silicon substrates by a solution deposition method. PbTiO₃ nanocrystals were used as a seed layer between the electrode and the BFO thin films to induce a preferential (100) pseudocubic orientation. We show that the introduction of a PbTiO₃ seed layer strongly reduces the leakage current. The films show excellent room-temperature ferroelectric properties at low frequencies (300 Hz), with epitaxial-like remanent polarization as high as 51 μC/cm² and coercive field of 500 kV/cm.     

Solution-processed ytterbium oxide dielectrics for low-voltage thin-film transistors and inverters

High permittivity (high k) metal-oxide thin films fabricated via solution processes have recently received much attention for the construction of low-operating voltage and high-performance thin-film transistors (TFTs). In this report, amorphous ytterbium oxide (Yb₂O₃) thin films were fabricated by spin coating and their applications in TFTs were explored. The physical properties of the solution-processed Yb₂O₃ thin films processed at different annealing temperatures were systematically investigated using various characterization techniques. To explore the feasibility of the Yb₂O₃ thin films as gate dielectrics for oxide TFTs, In₂O₃ TFTs based on Yb₂O₃ dielectrics were integrated. All the devices could be operated at 3 V, which is critical for the applications in portable, battery-driven, and low-power electronic devices. The optimized In₂O₃/Yb₂O₃ TFT exhibits high electrical performances, including field-effect mobility of 4.98 cm²/V s, on/off current ratio of ~ 10⁶, turn-on voltage around 0 V, and subthreshold swing of 70 mV/decade, respectively. To demonstrate the potential of In₂O₃/Yb₂O₃ TFT toward more complex logic application, the unipolar inverter was further constructed.     

Solution-processed semiconducting aluminum-zinc-tin-oxide thin films and their thin-film transistor applications

We prepared aluminum-zinc-tin-oxide (AZTO) thin films by the solution spin-coating method and investigated their physical and electrical properties according to different incorporated amounts of Al. AZTO films annealed at 400 °C were amorphous. Though SnO₂ crystallites were detected in films annealed at temperatures higher than 500 °C, the number of crystallites decreased as the Al content increased. Thin films had a smooth and uniform surface morphology with an optical transmittance value higher than 92% in the visible range. Electrical conductivity and its temperature dependence varied markedly according to the amount of Al incorporated in the film. We therefore systematically investigated activation energies for carrier transport for each film composition. Thin-film transistors (TFTs) were fabricated using solution-processed AZTO as an active channel layer. The effects of the amount of Al incorporated in the thin film on TFT characteristics were also evaluated. The best device performance was observed for a TFT with a 5 mol%-Al-incorporated AZTO channel. Field effect mobility, subthreshold swing, and on/off ratio were approximately 0.24 cm² V⁻¹ s⁻¹, 0.69 V/dec, and 1.03×10⁶, respectively.     

Efficiency of bulk-heterojunction organic solar cells

During the last years the performance of bulk heterojunction solar cells has been improved significantly. For a large-scale application of this technology further improvements are required. This article reviews the basic working principles and the state of the art device design of bulk heterojunction solar cells. The importance of high power conversion efficiencies for the commercial exploitation is outlined and different efficiency models for bulk heterojunction solar cells are discussed. Assuming state of the art materials and device architectures several models predict power conversion efficiencies in the range of 10–15%. A more general approach assuming device operation close to the Shockley–Queisser-limit leads to even higher efficiencies. Bulk heterojunction devices exhibiting only radiative recombination of charge carriers could be as efficient as ideal inorganic photovoltaic devices.     

染料敏化太阳能电池的研究进展

染料敏化太阳能电池（dye-sensitized solar cells,DSSC）由于工艺简单、价格便宜、转换效率高等优点而受到大量关注。本文介绍了染料敏化太阳能电池的基本结构和工作原理,综述了染料敏化太阳能电池的研究现状,论述了光阳极上半导体薄膜的制备、改性方法;阐述了敏化染料和氧化还原电解质的要求、特点和分类。指出高性能半导体薄膜、光谱响应宽稳定性好的敏化染料以及高效全固态电解质的研发与应用是今后的主要研究方向。     

Triphenylamine-based dyes for dye-sensitized solar cells

A novel, soluble, perylene oligomeric diimide dye, termed EOPPI was synthesized in high yield; for comparison, a small dye molecule, termed EOPDI, was also synthesized; both products readily dissolved in a wide range of organic solvents. The compounds were characterized using NMR, IR, MS, UV–vis, MS, GC–MS, HRMS, DSC, TGA, elemental analysis and cyclic voltammetry. The average molecular mass of EOPPI was 4460, its intrinsic viscosity was 0.3 dl g⁻¹ in m-cresol at 20 °C. The band gap energy (E_g), LUMO and HOMO energy values were 2.25, −3.78 and −6.03 eV for the small dye molecule and 2.24, −3.85 and −6.09 eV for the oligomer, respectively. The temperatures at which the monomer and oligomer began to lose mass were 300 and 375 °C, respectively. The oligomer showed concentration-dependent color tunability.     

Non-fullerene acceptors for organic solar cells

Solar cells based on organic semiconductor molecules are a promising alternative to conventional silicon photocells owing to their low cost, simple production, and good mechanical properties. Effective organic photocells are based on a heterojunction using an active layer consisting of two different organic semiconductors, one of which is an electron donor, while the other is an acceptor. Progress in organic photovoltaics is related to the development of new donor materials, while fullerene derivatives are commonly used as acceptors. The advantages and disadvantages of fullerene compounds for organic solar cells are discussed in this review, the principles of their operation are briefly considered, and the most successful new non-fullerene acceptors are described. The application of latter acceptors has made it possible to fabricate organic solar cells with an efficiency of about 2–4%.