Photocurrent mapping of 3D CdSe/CdTe windowless solar cells

Nanoscale Back Contact Perovskite Solar Cell Design for Improved Tandem Efficiency

Tandem photovoltaics, combining absorber layers with two distinct band gap energies into a single device, provide a practical solution to reduce thermalization losses in solar energy conversion. Traditionally, tandem devices have been assembled using two-terminal (2-T) or four-terminal (4-T) configurations; the 2-T limits the tandem performance due to the series connection requiring current matching, while the standard 4-T configuration requires at least three transparent electrical contacts, which reduce the total collected power due to unavoidable parasitic absorption. Here, we introduce a novel architecture based on a nanoscale back-contact for a thin-film top cell in a three terminal (3-T) configuration. Using coupled optical-electrical modeling, we optimize this architecture for a planar perovskite-silicon tandem, highlighting the roles of nanoscale contacts to reduce the required perovskite electronic quality. For example, with an 18% planar silicon base cell, the 3-T back contact design can reach a 32.9% tandem efficiency with a 10 μm diffusion length perovskite material. Using the same perovskite quality, the 4-T and 2-T configurations only reach 30.2% and 24.8%, respectively. We also confirm that the same 3-T efficiency advantage applies when using 25% efficient textured silicon base cells, where the tandems reach 35.2% and 32.8% efficiency for the 3-T, and 4-T configurations, respectively. Furthermore, because our design is based on the individual subcells being back-contacted, further improvements can be readily made by optimizing the front surface, which is left free for additional antireflective coating, light trapping, surface passivation, and photoluminescence outcoupling enhancements.

CdSe-CdTe Heterojunction Nanorods: Role of CdTe Segment in Modulating the Charge Transfer Processes

Heterojunction nanorods having dissimilar semiconductors possess charge transfer (CT) properties and are proposed as active elements in optoelectronic systems. Herein, we describe the synthetic methodologies for controlling the charge carrier recombination dynamics in CdSe-CdTe heterojunction nanorods through the precise growth of CdTe segment from one of the tips of CdSe nanorods. The location of heterojunction was established through a point-by-point collection of the energy-dispersive X-ray spectra using scanning transmission electron microscopy. The possibilities of the growth of CdTe from both the tips of CdSe nanorods and the overcoating of CdTe over CdSe segment were also ruled out. The CT emission in the heterojunction nanorods originates through an interfacial excitonic recombination and was further tuned to the near-infrared region by varying the two parameters: the aspect ratio of CdSe and the length of CdTe segment. These aspects are evidenced from the emission lifetime and the femtosecond transient absorption studies.

A novel hybrid blend based on phenoxy-substituted boron subphthalocyanine for organic photodetectors

Phenoxy-substituted boron subphthalocyanine, blended with a conductive polymer MEH-PPV, is presented as a photoresistive organic material. Using an easily accessible drop casting technique, the blend produces a thin-layer organic photoresistor with a photoresistive ratio of ~2–12. Variations in the blend composition and morphology are shown to change the transport properties of the material. The photoelectrochemical characteristics of the photoresistor are discussed in terms of impedance spectroscopy and the morphology of the material is analyzed using confocal fluorescent microscopy. The device developed is a daylight detector.

Evaluating the Optoelectronic Quality of Hybrid Perovskites by Conductive Atomic Force Microscopy with Noise Spectroscopy

Organic-inorganic hybrid perovskite solar cells have emerged as promising candidates for next-generation solar cells. To attain high photovoltaic efficiency, reducing the defects in perovskites is crucial along with a uniform coating of the films. Also, evaluating the quality of synthesized perovskites via facile and adequate methods is important as well. Herein, CH₃NH₃PbI₃ perovskites were synthesized by applying second solvent dripping to nonstoichiometric precursors containing excess CH₃NH₃I. The resulting perovskite films exhibited a larger average grain size with a better crystallinity compared to that from stoichiometric precursors. As a result, the performance of planar perovskite solar cells was significantly improved, achieving an efficiency of 14.3%. Furthermore, perovskite films were effectively analyzed using a conductive AFM and noise spectroscopy, which have been uncommon in the field of perovskite solar cells. Comparing the topography and photocurrent maps, the variation of photocurrents in nanoscale was systematically investigated, and a linear relationship between the grain size and photocurrent was revealed. Also, noise analyses with a conductive probe enabled examination of the defect density of perovskites at specific grain interiors by excluding the grain-boundary effect, and reduced defects were clearly observed for the perovskites using CH₃NH₃I-rich precursors.

Integration of CdSe/CdSexTe1-x Type-II Heterojunction Nanorods into Hierarchically Porous TiO2 Electrode for Efficient Solar Energy Conversion

Semiconductor sensitized solar cells, a promising candidate for next-generation photovoltaics, have seen notable progress using 0-D quantum dots as light harvesting materials. Integration of higher-dimensional nanostructures and their multi-composition variants into sensitized solar cells is, however, still not fully investigated despite their unique features potentially beneficial for improving performance. Herein, CdSe/CdSe_xTe_1−x type-II heterojunction nanorods are utilized as novel light harvesters for sensitized solar cells for the first time. The CdSe/CdSe_xTe_1−x heterojunction-nanorod sensitized solar cell exhibits ~33% improvement in the power conversion efficiency compared to its single-component counterpart, resulting from superior optoelectronic properties of the type-II heterostructure and 1-octanethiol ligands aiding facile electron extraction at the heterojunction nanorod-TiO₂ interface. Additional ~32% enhancement in power conversion efficiency is achieved by introducing percolation channels of large pores in the mesoporous TiO₂ electrode, which allow 1-D sensitizers to infiltrate the entire depth of electrode. These strategies combined together lead to 3.02% power conversion efficiency, which is one of the highest values among sensitized solar cells utilizing 1-D nanostructures as sensitizer materials.

Windowless CdSe/CdTe solar cells with differentiated back contacts: J-V, EQE, and photocurrent mapping

This study presents windowless CdSe/CdTe thin film photovoltaic devices with in-plane patterning at a submicrometer length scale. The photovoltaic cells are fabricated upon two interdigitated comb electrodes prepatterned at micrometer length scale on an insulating substrate. CdSe is electrodeposited on one electrode, and CdTe is deposited by pulsed laser deposition over the entire surface of the resulting structure. Previous studies of symmetric devices are extended in this study. Specifically, device performance is explored with asymmetric devices having fixed CdTe contact width and a range of CdSe contact widths, and the devices are fabricated with improved dimensional tolerance. Scanning photocurrent microscopy (also known as laser beam induced current mapping) is used to examine local current collection efficiency, providing information on the spatial variation of performance that complements current-voltage and external quantum efficiency measurements of overall device performance. Modeling of carrier transport and recombination indicates consistency of experimental results for local and blanket illumination. Performance under simulated air mass 1.5 illumination exceeds 5% for all dimensions examined, and the best-performing device achieved 5.9% efficiency.