Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 10, 2026

Polycrystalline Silicon Thin-film Solar cells with Plasmonic-enhanced Light-trapping
Published on: July 2, 2012
Plasmonically enhanced electromotive force of narrow bandgap PbS QD-based photovoltaics
Xiaowei Li1, Paul D McNaughter, Paul O'Brien
1Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0810, Japan. kei@sci.hokudai.ac.jp.
Abstract:
Electromotive force of photovoltaics is a key to define the output power density of photovoltaics. Multiple exciton generation (MEG) exhibited by semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) has great potential to enhance photovoltaic performance owing to the ability to generate more than one electron-hole pairs when absorbing a single photon. However, even in MEG-based photovoltaics, limitation of modifying the electromotive force exists due to the intrinsic electrochemical potential of the conduction band-edges of QDs. Here we report a pronouncedly improved photovoltaic performance by constructing a PbS QD-sensitized electrode that comprises plasmon-active Au nanoparticles embedded in a titanium dioxide thin film. Significant enhancement on electromotive force is characterized by the onset potential of photocurrent generation using MEG-effective PbS QDs with a narrow bandgap energy (Eg = 0.9 eV). By coupling with localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR), such QDs exhibit improved photoresponses and the highest output power density over the other QDs with larger bandgap energies (Eg = 1.1 and 1.7 eV) under visible light irradiation. The wavelength-dependent onset potential and the output power density suggest effective electron injection owing to the enhanced density of electrons excited by energy overlapping between MEG and LSPR.
More Related Videos
12:02Determination of Thermodynamic Properties of Alkaline Earth-liquid Metal Alloys Using the Electromotive Force Technique
Published on: November 3, 2017
09:29Utilization of Plasmonic and Photonic Crystal Nanostructures for Enhanced Micro- and Nanoparticle Manipulation
Published on: September 27, 2011
Related Concept Videos
Electromotive Force
Electromotive Force
Any circuit with a constant current must contain an emf-producing source. Examples of emf sources include batteries, electric generators, solar cells, thermocouples, and fuel cells. All these sources transform energy of some kind (mechanical, chemical, thermal, and so on)...
Distribution of Stresses in a Narrow Rectangular Beam
Intermolecular Forces
Self-Evaluation: Self-Enhancement and Self-Verification
Intermolecular vs Intramolecular Forces