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10.6% Certified Colloidal Quantum Dot Solar Cells via Solvent-Polarity-Engineered Halide Passivation
Xinzheng Lan1, Oleksandr Voznyy1, F Pelayo García de Arquer1
1Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Toronto , 10 King's College Road, Toronto, Ontario M5S 3G4, Canada.
Nano Letters
|June 29, 2016
Summary
Researchers developed a new solution-phase passivation technique for colloidal quantum dot (CQD) solar cells. This method enhances passivation, enabling thicker active layers and achieving a record 10.6% power conversion efficiency for CQD photovoltaics.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Energy Science
- Photovoltaics
Background:
- Colloidal quantum dot (CQD) solar cells offer tunable spectral absorption and solution processability.
- Recent efficiency gains stem from improved CQD surface passivation and charge collection architectures.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce a novel solution-phase strategy for enhancing CQD surface passivation.
- To improve charge carrier extraction and overall power conversion efficiency in CQD solar cells.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a cosolvent system to tune solvent polarity, enabling simultaneous solvation of methylammonium iodide (MAI) and dispersion of hydrophobic PbS CQDs.
- Achieved homogeneous phase for improved MAI access to CQDs for enhanced passivation.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated significantly improved CQD passivation through the cosolvent approach.
- Enabled efficient charge extraction from thicker photoactive layers.
- Achieved a certified power conversion efficiency of 10.6% for CQD solar cells, a new record.
Conclusions:
- The developed solution-phase passivation technique is effective for improving CQD solar cell performance.
- This strategy overcomes limitations of single-solvent systems for CQD processing.
- The record efficiency highlights the potential of advanced passivation for next-generation photovoltaics.
