CdSe quantum dot sensitized solar cell based hierarchical branched ZnO nanoarrays

The hierarchical branched ZnO nanoarrays (NAs) photoanode was prepared by a two-step hydrothermal method. Vertically aligned long ZnO NWs were first synthesized using as the backbone of hierarchical branched ZnO NAs structure and high quality ZnO NAs branches were grown on the surface of backbone ZnO NAs. The structured films enhance the optical path length through the light scatting effect of branched ZnO NAs and prove the larger internal surface area in NAs film to increase quantum dots (QDs) sensitizer loadings, so the light absorption has an optimization. Compared with the cell based conventional 1D ZnO NAs, the efficiency of the new cells has a great improvement due to the increase of the short circuit current density.     

Accurate analysis of electron transfer from quantum dots to metal oxides in quantum dot sensitized solar cells

Electron transfer rate from quantum dot (QD) to metal oxide (MO) in quantum dot sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs) has an important role in the efficiency. In this work, we analyse the electron transfer rate from CdSe, CdS and CdTe QDs to TiO₂, ZnO and SnO₂ MOs by extending the related equations with considering various effects, based on the Marcus theory. In this regard, the effects of QD diameter, QD–MO spacing, the crystalline defects, temperature, and the reorganizational energy, on the electron transfer rate are investigated. The results show that, the maximum electron transfer rate is achieved for CdTe QD with the mentioned three MOs. Moreover, in order to direct the designer to reach the appropriate QDs–MOs combinations for obtaining the maximum electron transfer rate, the average electron transfer rate for various combinations is calculated. For the verification of simulation method, a part of work has been compared with the previous experimental and theoretical results, which indicates the correctness of our simulation algorithm.     

Plasmon enhanced CdS-quantum dot sensitized solar cell using ZnO nanorods array deposited with Ag nanoparticles as photoanode

CdS-quantum dot sensitized solar cell using ZnO nanorods (ZnO NRs) array deposited with Ag nanoparticles (Ag NPs) as photoanode was fabricated. Light absorption effect of Ag NPs on improvement of the cell performance was investigated. Performance improvement of metal nanoparticles (MNPs) was controlled by the structure design and architecture. Different decorations and densities of Ag NPs were utilized on the photoanode. Results showed that using 5% Ag NPs in the photoanode results in the increased efficiency, fill factor, and circuit current density from 0.28% to 0.60%, 0.22 to 0.29, and 2.18 mA/cm² to 3.25 mA/cm², respectively. Also, incident photon-to-current efficiencies (IPCE) results showed that cell performance improvement is related to enhanced absorption in the photoanode, which is because of the surface plasmonic resonance and light scattering of Ag NPs in the photoanode. Measurements of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy revealed that hole transfer kinetics increases with introduction of Ag NPs into photoanode. Also, it is shown that chemical capacitance increases with introduction of Ag NPs. Such increase can be attributed to the surface palsmonic resonance of Ag NPs which leads to absorption of more light in the photoanode and generation of more photoelectron in the photoanode.     

Chemical synthesis of ZnO hexagonal thin nanodisks and dye‐sensitized solar cell performance

Well defined highly monodispersed single crystalline ZnO hexagonal thin nanodisks have been synthesized by a wet chemical route. Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid is used as an organic ligand in the chemical synthesis. Ultraviolet near band edge emission is predominant over the defect level emission in these ZnO nanodisks. The ZnO nanodisks have an average diameter of 150 nm and thickness of 40 nm. A dye‐sensitized solar cell is fabricated using ZnO nanodisks by spray pyrolysis deposition and it exhibits an efficiency of 2.63% with the ruthenium sensitizer N719 dye. (© 2012 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Improving light trapping and conversion efficiency of amorphous silicon solar cell by modified and randomly distributed ZnO nanorods

Three-dimensional （3D） nanostructures in thin film solar cells have attracted significant attention due to their appli- cations in enhancing light trapping. Enhanced light trapping can result in more effective absorption in solar cells, thus leading to higher short-circuit current density and conversion efficiency. We develop randomly distributed and modified ZnO nanorods, which are designed and fabricated by the following processes： the deposition of a ZnO seed layer on sub- strate with sputtering, the wet chemical etching of the seed layer to form isolated islands for nanorod growth, the chemical bath deposition of the ZnO nanorods, and the sputtering deposition of a thin Al-doped ZnO （ZnO：Al） layer to improve the ZnO/Si interface. Solar cells employing the modified ZnO nanorod substrate show a considerable increase in solar energy conversion efficiency.     

Nanostructured solar cell based on solution processed Cu2ZnSnS4 nanoparticles and vertically aligned ZnO nanorod array

Cu₂ZnSnS₄ (CZTS) has attracted intensive interest for application in photovoltaic technology due to its excellent semiconductor properties. We report a nanostructured CZTS solar cell which was fabricated by infiltrating of CZTS nanoparticles into CdS coated ZnO nanorod arrays. The well aligned ZnO nanorods facilitate the efficient infiltration of CZTS nanoparticles. A hole transport layer was deposited to facilitate the transport of holes. The nanostructured CZTS solar cell demonstrated a remarkably high short‐circuit current density (11.0 mA/cm²). As a result, a power conversion efficiency of 2.8% was obtained. (© 2014 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH &Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

基于聚多巴胺/氧化锌复合阴极缓冲层的倒置聚合物太阳能电池的研究

利用多巴胺氧化自聚合形成聚多巴胺(PDA)与ZnO结合形成PDA/ZnO复合阴极缓冲层,制备了以P3HT:PC_(61)BM为活性层的倒置结构聚合物太阳能电池,通过改变PDA的自聚合时间来分析复合阴极缓冲层对器件性能的影响.实验发现,随着PDA的自聚合时间的增加,聚合物太阳能电池的光电转换效率先增大后减小,当自聚合时间为10 min时,相应器件光伏性能达到最优值,其开路电压V_(OC)为0.66 V,短路电流密度J_(SC)为9.70 mA/cm~2,填充因子FF为68.06%,光电转换效率PCE为4.35%.器件性能改善的原因是由于PDA/ZnO复合阴极缓冲层减小了ZnO与ITO之间的接触电阻,同时PDA中存在大量的氨基有利于倒置太阳能电池阴极对电子的收集.     

Improving Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) solar cell performance by an ultrathin ZnO intermediate layer between CZTS absorber and Mo back contact

The effects of an ultrathin ZnO intermediate layer deposited at the CZTS/Mo interface on CZTS solar cell performance have been investigated in this work. The ZnO layer inhibits the generation of MoS₂ layer and the formation of voids in the CZTS absorber. Consequently, the incorporation of this layer reduces the series resistance and increases the shunt resistance, which boosts photovoltaic conversion efficiency from 1.13% to 4.3%. (© 2014 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH &Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Increased open‐circuit voltage of ZnO nanowire/PbS quantum dot bulk heterojunction solar cells with solution‐deposited Mg(OH)2 interlayer

An ultrathin Mg(OH)₂ layer was solution‐deposited onto the ZnO nanowires to solve the problem of interfacial charge recombination, caused by the increase of interfacial area in bulk heterojunction (BHJ) PbS colloidal quantum dot solar cells (CQDSCs). This Mg(OH)₂ interlayer efficiently passivated the surface defects of ZnO nanowires and provided tunnel barrier at ZnO/PbS interface. As a result, the charge recombination at ZnO/PbS interface was largely suppressed, proved by the significantly elongated electron lifetime and the increased open‐circuit voltage of the Mg(OH)₂‐involved BHJ CQDSCs. Careful thickness optimization of Mg(OH)₂ interlayer finally brought a ～33% increase in V_oc and ～25% improvement in power conversion efficiency.     

Improved efficiency of small-molecular (S-M) tandem organic solar cells (TOSCs) by employing low work function alloy nanoparticle intermediate layer

We improved the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the small molecular (S-M) tandem organic solar cells (TOSCs) by employing different low work function alloy nanoparticle intermediate layers. The enhancement of the PCE was mainly attributed to the gap states formed at the interface between the buffer layer and alloy nanoparticle intermediate layer. The gap states result in the disappearance of the electron injection barrier. Compared with the planar heterojunction (PHJ) TOSCs with single Ag nanoparticle intermediate layer, the PCE of the PHJ TOSC with the Mg-Ag alloy nanoparticle intermediate layer exhibits an enhancement of 7.5%. Moreover, the Mg-Ag alloy nanoparticle intermediate layer was also employed in the bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) TOSCs. Compared with the PHJ TOSCs, the PCE of the BHJ TOSCs with Mg-Ag alloy nanoparticle intermediate layer is doubled and achieves a value of 5.54%.     

基于Al_2O_3/MoO_3复合阳极缓冲层的倒置聚合物太阳能电池的研究

采用旋涂Al_2O_3前驱体溶液和低温退火的方法在活性层上形成Al_2O_3薄膜,并与MoO_3结合形成Al_2O_3/MoO_3复合阳极缓冲层,制备了以聚3-己基噻吩:[6.6]-苯基-C_(61)-丁酸甲酯(P3HT:PC_(61)BM)为活性层的倒置聚合物太阳能电池,并通过改变Al_2O_3前驱体溶液的浓度来分析复合阳极缓冲层对器件性能的影响.结果发现,Al_2O_3/MoO_3复合阳极缓冲层能有效调控倒置聚合物太阳能电池的光电性能及其稳定性.当Al_2O_3前驱体溶液的浓度为0.15%时,器件光伏性能达到最优值,与MoO_3单缓冲层的器件相比,光电转换效率(PCE)由3.85%提高到4.64%;经过80天老化测试后,具有复合阳极缓冲层的器件PCE保留为初始值的76%,而单缓冲层的器件PCE已经下降到50%以下.器件性能得到改善的原因是Al_2O_3/MoO_3复合阳极缓冲层增强了倒置太阳能电池器件阳极对空穴的收集能力,同时钝化了器件活性层,从而提升了太阳能电池器件的光伏性能及其稳定性.     

Performance assessment of Cu2SnS3 (CTS) based thin film solar cells by AMPS-1D

A relative performance assessment of copper tin sulfide (CTS) thin film solar cells with different phases such as, cubic, tetragonal, and orthorhombic as an absorber layer has been carried out by AMPS-1D simulation software. Based on the proposed device architecture, the effects of thickness and carrier concentration for the absorber layer as well as the back metal contact with various work function are studied in order to improve the performance of CTS solar cell. It is found that 10¹⁸ cm⁻³ and 2500–3000 nm are optimum values for carrier concentration and thickness for all the investigated CTS absorber layer phases, respectively. On the other hand, back contact metal work function of 5.28 eV, 5.67 eV and 5.71 eV are identified to be the optimal values for cubic, tetragonal, and orthorhombic phases, respectively. We have analyzed in detail the output performance of CTS thin film solar cell with respect to its fabrication, which can serve a constructive research pathway for the thin film photovoltaic industry.     

Back contact–absorber interface modification by inserting carbon intermediate layer and conversion efficiency improvement in Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 solar cell

Carbon layers have been employed as intermediate layers between Mo back contact and Cu₂ZnSn(S_1–xSe_x)₄(CZTSSe) absorber film prepared by sol–gel and post‐selenization method. Carbon layers with appropriate thickness can significantly inhibit the formation of MoSe₂ and voids at bottom region of the absorber, and therefore reduce the series resistance remarkably. The conversion efficiency can be boosted by the introducing of the carbon layer from 6.20% to 7.24% by enhancement in short current density, fill factor and open voltage in comparison to the reference sample without carbon layer. However, excess thickness of carbon layer will worse device performance due to the deteriorated absorber crystallinity. In addition, the time‐resolved photoluminescence analysis shows that inserting the carbon layer with suitable thickness does not introduce recombination and lower minority lifetime. (© 2015 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH &Co. KGaA, Weinheim)