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Updated: Jun 15, 2026
Harvesting Solar Energy by Means of Charge-Separating Nanocrystals and Their Solids
Published on: August 23, 2012
Solution-phase synthesis of SnSe nanocrystals for use in solar cells
Matthew A Franzman1, Cody W Schlenker, Mark E Thompson
1Department of Chemistry and the Center for Energy Nanoscience and Technology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA.
Abstract:
Nanocrystals of phase-pure tin(II) selenide (SnSe) were synthesized via a solution-phase route employing stoichiometric amounts of di-tert-butyl diselenide as a novel and facile selenium source. The direct band gap of the resulting nanocrystals (E(g) = 1.71 eV) is significantly blue-shifted relative to the bulk value (E(g) = 1.30 eV), a likely consequence of quantum confinement resulting from the relatively small average diameter of the nanocrystals (mu(D) < 20 nm). Preliminary solar cell devices incorporating SnSe nanocrystals into a poly[2-methoxy-5-(3',7'-dimethyloctyloxy)-1,4-phenylenevinylene] matrix demonstrate a significant enhancement in quantum efficiency and short-circuit current density, suggesting that this earth-abundant material could be a valuable component in future photovoltaic devices.
