Search results for "Solar cell"
showing 10 items of 410 documents
Fabrication and Photoelectrochemical Behavior of Ordered CIGS Nanowire Arrays for Application in Solar Cells
2010
In this work, we report some preliminary results concerning the fabrication of quaternary copper, indium, gallium, and selenium CIGS nanowires that were grown inside the channels of an anodic alumina membrane by one-step potentiostatic deposition at different applied potentials and room temperature. A tunable nanowire composition was achieved through a manipulation of the applied potential and electrolyte composition. X-ray diffraction analysis showed that nanowires, whose chemical composition was determined by energy-dispersive spectroscopy analysis, were amorphous. A composition of Cu0.203In0.153Ga0.131Se0.513, very close to the stoichiometric value, was obtained. These nanostructures wer…
Optical Optimization of the TiO2 Mesoporous Layer in Perovskite Solar Cells by the Addition of SiO2 Nanoparticles
2018
In this work, SiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) were integrated into the mesoporous TiO2 layer of a perovskite solar cell to investigate their effect on cell performance. Different concentrations of SiO2/ethanol have been combined in TiO2/ethanol to prepare pastes for the fabrication of the mesoporous layer with which perovskite solar cells have been fabricated. Addition of SiO2 NPs of 50 and 100 nm sizes produces an enhancement of cell performance mainly because of an improvement of the photocurrent. This increment is in good agreement with the theoretical predictions based on light scattering induced by dielectric SiO2 NPs. The samples using modified scaffolds with NPs also present a significant l…
Template-assisted fabrication of free-standing nanorod arrays of a hole-conducting cross-linked triphenylamine derivative: toward ordered bulk-hetero…
2009
Free-standing nanorod arrays of a thermally cross-linked semiconducting triphenylamine were fabricated on conductive ITO/glass substrates via an anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) template-assisted approach. By using a solution wetting method combined with a subsequent thermal imprinting step to fill the nanoporous structure of the template with a cross-linkable triphenylamine derivative, a polymeric replication of the AAO was obtained after thermal curing and selective removal of the template. To obtain well-aligned and free-standing nanorod arrays, aggregation and collapse of the nanorods were prevented by optimizing their aspect ratio and applying a freeze-drying technique to remove the aqueous…
Inverted-opal photonic crystals for ultra light-trapping in solar cells
2010
We investigated a three dimensional inverted opal having the potential to notably increase light-trapping in solar cells. The 3D photonic crystal top layer is an angle- and direction-selective filter, which decreases the acceptance cone of the solar cell. Numerical optimisation methods are used to verify the optical and electrical properties for a large angluar and energy spectrum for a system consisting of an inverted opal on top of a thin crystalline silicon solar cell. It is numerically shown that an inverted opal grown in the Τ - Xdirection might fulfill the requirement for such a filter. An estimate for the theoretically achievable efficiency for nonconcentrated light is presented that…
Advances in Perovskite Solar Cells.
2015
Organolead halide perovskite materials possess a combination of remarkable optoelectronic properties, such as steep optical absorption edge and high absorption coefficients, long charge carrier diffusion lengths and lifetimes. Taken together with the ability for low temperature preparation, also from solution, perovskite-based devices, especially photovoltaic (PV) cells have been studied intensively, with remarkable progress in performance, over the past few years. The combination of high efficiency, low cost and additional (non-PV) applications provides great potential for commercialization. Performance and applications of perovskite solar cells often correlate with their device structures…
Vapor-Deposited Perovskites: The Route to High-Performance Solar Cell Production?
2017
Summary High-quality semiconducting perovskites can be easily synthesized through several methods. The ease of fabrication has favored the adoption of lab-scale solution-processing techniques, which have yielded the highest performing devices. Most of these processes, however, are not directly applicable to larger scale and volume preparations, hindering the consolidation and market entry of this technology. Vapor-based methods, a mature technology widely adopted in the coating and semiconductor industry, could change this trend. Their application to perovskite solar cells includes a large amount of fabrication approaches, offering versatility in the employed materials as well as in the cha…
Incorporation of a tricationic subphthalocyanine in an organic photovoltaic device
2013
A new tricationic subphthalocyanine was synthesized and employed as light-harvesting and donor material in an ionic solid state organic photovoltaic cell. The incorporation of ionic dyes in organic photovoltaics aims to take advantage of ionic movement in order to enhance the charge transport properties of these materials. In this preliminary study, we report the results obtained in the fabrication of a partially solution-processed device with a cationic dye, where an effiency of 0.5% was reached.
How does graphene enhance the photoelectric conversion efficiency of dye sensitized solar cells? An insight from a theoretical perspective
2019
The main goal of this work is to clearly answer the question from a theoretical perspective: how does graphene enhance the photoelectric conversion efficiency in the semiconducting layer of a dye sensitized solar cell? Several arrangements of the graphene layer between the dye molecule and the TiO2 (101) surface are carefully studied and discussed. The dynamic interfacial electron propagations are simulated with consideration of the underlying nuclear motion effect. Theoretical investigation shows that graphene can speed up the electron injection from the dye molecules to the semiconductor layer, only when the graphene sheet is bonded to the TiO2 surface via C–Ti bonds. The excited electron…
Online Meetings in Times of Global Crisis: Toward Sustainable Conferencing
2020
International conferences are an essential component of the timely exchange of ideas and results in the scientific community, where scientists present their results, gain new insights, and meet colleagues and collaborators. In early 2020, a global pandemic caused by a coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) and the corresponding disease (covid-19) resulted in a number of conferences being canceled or postponed. (1) To foster scientific exchange despite the restrictions, a range of initiatives were launched across the globe to move international conferences online. (2−8) [...]
Interface engineering in efficient vacuum deposited perovskite solar cells
2016
Abstract We studied the effect of the charge transport layers in p-i-n perovskite solar cells using vacuum deposited methylammonium lead iodide thin-film absorbers. While solution-processed perovskite films are frequently deposited directly on PEDOT:PSS leading to good solar cell performances, in some cases even to very good Voc values, we show that in devices employing vacuum deposited MAPbI3 perovskites, the removal of the polyTPD electron blocker substantially reduces the photovoltaic behavior. This is indicative of rather different charge transport properties in the vacuum deposited MAPbI3 perovskites compared to those prepared from solution. On the other hand, we investigated the use o…