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Next Generation Photovoltaics Based on Multiple Exciton Generation in Quantum Dot Solar Cells

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Next Generation of Photovoltaics

Part of the book series: Springer Series in Optical Sciences ((SSOS,volume 165))

Abstract

Next Generation solar cells based onMultiple Exciton Generation (MEG) in semiconductorquantum dots (QDs) are described. This application of QDs depends upon efficient MEG in QDs incorporated into PV cells, followed by efficient exciton splitting into free electrons and holes and their efficient separation and collection in the cell contacts to produce multiple free carriers per absorbed photon. Using time-resolved transient absorption, bleaching, photoluminescence and THz spectroscopy, MEG has been initially confirmed in several Group IV-VI, III-V, II-VI, and IV colloidal semiconductor QDs. Some controversy using these techniques have now been attributed to effects of the variable of the QD surface chemisty and under certain conditions to artifacts arising from long-lived trapping of photoinduced charge; in our opinion these controversies have been resolved and are discussed here. Furthermore, various photovoltaic cell architectures utilizing QDs have recently been constructed and the photocurrent and photovoltage characterisitics have been studied. These photocurrent measurements provide a more direct measurement of MEG since the photogenerated carriers are counted directly via the current, and they are very consistent with the QYs of MEG reported using the proper spectroscopic techniques; thus, these new photocurrent measurements confirm the existence of enhanced exciton and carrier multiplication in QDs. The past work and prognosis for QD-based Next Generation PV cells based on MEG are discussed.

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Acknowledgements

During preparation of this manuscript, the author was supported by the Center for Advanced Solar Photophysics, an Energy Frontier Research Center funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences. Vital contributions to the research described here were made by my colleagues at NREL: Matt Beard, Joey Luther, Matt Law, Justin Johnson, Mark Hanna, Randy Ellingson, Aaron Midgett, Tavi Semonin, Jianbo Gao, Qing Song, Jim Murphy, and Sasha Efros at the Naval Research Laboratory.

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  1. National Renewable Energy Laboratory Golden, 1617 Cole Blvd., Golden, CO, 80401, USA

    Arthur J. Nozik

  2. Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA

    Arthur J. Nozik

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  1. Arthur J. Nozik
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  1. E.T.S.I. Telecommunicacion, Inst. Energia Solar, Universidad Politéchnica de Madrid, Avda. de la Complutense s/n, Madrid, 28041, Spain

    Ana Belén Cristóbal López

  2. E.T.S.I. Telecommunicacion, Inst. Energia Solar, Universidad Politéchnica de Madrid, Avda. de la Complutense s/n, Madrid, 28041, Spain

    Antonio Martí Vega

  3. E.T.S.I. Telecommunicacion, Inst. Energia Solar, Universidad Politéchnica de Madrid, Avda. de la Complutense s/n, Madrid, 28041, Spain

    Antonio Luque López

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Nozik, A.J. (2012). Next Generation Photovoltaics Based on Multiple Exciton Generation in Quantum Dot Solar Cells. In: Cristóbal López, A., Martí Vega, A., Luque López, A. (eds) Next Generation of Photovoltaics. Springer Series in Optical Sciences, vol 165. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-23369-2_7

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