Colloidal quantum dot solar cells exploiting hierarchical structuring

André J. Labelle; Susanna Thon; Silvia Masala; Michael M. Adachi; Haopeng Dong; Maryam Farahani; Alexander H. Ip; Andrea Fratalocchi; E. H. Sargent

doi:10.1021/nl504086v

Colloidal quantum dot solar cells exploiting hierarchical structuring

André J. Labelle, Susanna Thon, Silvia Masala, Michael M. Adachi, Haopeng Dong, Maryam Farahani, Alexander H. Ip, Andrea Fratalocchi, E. H. Sargent

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

135 Scopus citations

Abstract

Extremely thin-absorber solar cells offer low materials utilization and simplified manufacture but require improved means to enhance photon absorption in the active layer. Here, we report enhanced-absorption colloidal quantum dot (CQD) solar cells that feature transfer-stamped solution-processed pyramid-shaped electrodes employed in a hierarchically structured device. The pyramids increase, by up to a factor of 2, the external quantum efficiency of the device at absorption-limited wavelengths near the absorber band edge. We show that absorption enhancement can be optimized with increased pyramid angle with an appreciable net improvement in power conversion efficiency, that is, with the gain in current associated with improved absorption and extraction overcoming the smaller fractional decrease in open-circuit voltage associated with increased junction area. We show that the hierarchical combination of micron-scale structured electrodes with nanoscale films provides for an optimized enhancement at absorption-limited wavelengths. We fabricate 54.7° pyramid-patterned electrodes, conformally apply the quantum dot films, and report pyramid CQD solar cells that exhibit a 24% improvement in overall short-circuit current density with champion devices providing a power conversion efficiency of 9.2%.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	1101-1108
Number of pages	8
Journal	Nano Letters
Volume	15
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1021/nl504086v
State	Published - Jan 9 2015

Bibliographical note

KAUST Repository Item: Exported on 2020-10-01
Acknowledged KAUST grant number(s): KUS-11-009-21
Acknowledgements: This publication is based in part on work supported by Award KUS-11-009-21, made by King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), by the Ontario Research Fund Research Excellence Program, and by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) of Canada. We thank Angstrom Engineering, Inc. and Innovative Technology, Inc. for useful discussions regarding material deposition methods and control of the glovebox environment, respectively. H.D. would like to acknowledge financial support from China Scholarship Council (CSC). The authors thank Larissa Levina for the assistance of CQDs synthesis and E. Palmiano, R. Wolowiec, G. Koleilat, and D. Kopilovic for their technical help over the course of this study. We also thank Professor Heman Miguez of the Institute of Materials Science of Seville for very helpful discussions regarding electrode structuring. We would finally like to thank Professor Peter Herman and Dr. Kitty Kumar, both of the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at the University of Toronto, for materials and assistance in preparing the Silicon master.

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Bioengineering
General Materials Science
General Chemistry
Mechanical Engineering
Condensed Matter Physics

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10.1021/nl504086v

Cite this

@article{c93ce8d142e34f7e8ddf4ede667d43b7,

title = "Colloidal quantum dot solar cells exploiting hierarchical structuring",

abstract = "Extremely thin-absorber solar cells offer low materials utilization and simplified manufacture but require improved means to enhance photon absorption in the active layer. Here, we report enhanced-absorption colloidal quantum dot (CQD) solar cells that feature transfer-stamped solution-processed pyramid-shaped electrodes employed in a hierarchically structured device. The pyramids increase, by up to a factor of 2, the external quantum efficiency of the device at absorption-limited wavelengths near the absorber band edge. We show that absorption enhancement can be optimized with increased pyramid angle with an appreciable net improvement in power conversion efficiency, that is, with the gain in current associated with improved absorption and extraction overcoming the smaller fractional decrease in open-circuit voltage associated with increased junction area. We show that the hierarchical combination of micron-scale structured electrodes with nanoscale films provides for an optimized enhancement at absorption-limited wavelengths. We fabricate 54.7° pyramid-patterned electrodes, conformally apply the quantum dot films, and report pyramid CQD solar cells that exhibit a 24% improvement in overall short-circuit current density with champion devices providing a power conversion efficiency of 9.2%.",

author = "Labelle, {Andr{\'e} J.} and Susanna Thon and Silvia Masala and Adachi, {Michael M.} and Haopeng Dong and Maryam Farahani and Ip, {Alexander H.} and Andrea Fratalocchi and Sargent, {E. H.}",

note = "KAUST Repository Item: Exported on 2020-10-01 Acknowledged KAUST grant number(s): KUS-11-009-21 Acknowledgements: This publication is based in part on work supported by Award KUS-11-009-21, made by King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), by the Ontario Research Fund Research Excellence Program, and by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) of Canada. We thank Angstrom Engineering, Inc. and Innovative Technology, Inc. for useful discussions regarding material deposition methods and control of the glovebox environment, respectively. H.D. would like to acknowledge financial support from China Scholarship Council (CSC). The authors thank Larissa Levina for the assistance of CQDs synthesis and E. Palmiano, R. Wolowiec, G. Koleilat, and D. Kopilovic for their technical help over the course of this study. We also thank Professor Heman Miguez of the Institute of Materials Science of Seville for very helpful discussions regarding electrode structuring. We would finally like to thank Professor Peter Herman and Dr. Kitty Kumar, both of the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at the University of Toronto, for materials and assistance in preparing the Silicon master.",

year = "2015",

month = jan,

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doi = "10.1021/nl504086v",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "15",

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journal = "Nano Letters",

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T1 - Colloidal quantum dot solar cells exploiting hierarchical structuring

AU - Labelle, André J.

AU - Thon, Susanna

AU - Masala, Silvia

AU - Adachi, Michael M.

AU - Dong, Haopeng

AU - Farahani, Maryam

AU - Ip, Alexander H.

AU - Fratalocchi, Andrea

AU - Sargent, E. H.

N1 - KAUST Repository Item: Exported on 2020-10-01 Acknowledged KAUST grant number(s): KUS-11-009-21 Acknowledgements: This publication is based in part on work supported by Award KUS-11-009-21, made by King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), by the Ontario Research Fund Research Excellence Program, and by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) of Canada. We thank Angstrom Engineering, Inc. and Innovative Technology, Inc. for useful discussions regarding material deposition methods and control of the glovebox environment, respectively. H.D. would like to acknowledge financial support from China Scholarship Council (CSC). The authors thank Larissa Levina for the assistance of CQDs synthesis and E. Palmiano, R. Wolowiec, G. Koleilat, and D. Kopilovic for their technical help over the course of this study. We also thank Professor Heman Miguez of the Institute of Materials Science of Seville for very helpful discussions regarding electrode structuring. We would finally like to thank Professor Peter Herman and Dr. Kitty Kumar, both of the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at the University of Toronto, for materials and assistance in preparing the Silicon master.

PY - 2015/1/9

Y1 - 2015/1/9

N2 - Extremely thin-absorber solar cells offer low materials utilization and simplified manufacture but require improved means to enhance photon absorption in the active layer. Here, we report enhanced-absorption colloidal quantum dot (CQD) solar cells that feature transfer-stamped solution-processed pyramid-shaped electrodes employed in a hierarchically structured device. The pyramids increase, by up to a factor of 2, the external quantum efficiency of the device at absorption-limited wavelengths near the absorber band edge. We show that absorption enhancement can be optimized with increased pyramid angle with an appreciable net improvement in power conversion efficiency, that is, with the gain in current associated with improved absorption and extraction overcoming the smaller fractional decrease in open-circuit voltage associated with increased junction area. We show that the hierarchical combination of micron-scale structured electrodes with nanoscale films provides for an optimized enhancement at absorption-limited wavelengths. We fabricate 54.7° pyramid-patterned electrodes, conformally apply the quantum dot films, and report pyramid CQD solar cells that exhibit a 24% improvement in overall short-circuit current density with champion devices providing a power conversion efficiency of 9.2%.

AB - Extremely thin-absorber solar cells offer low materials utilization and simplified manufacture but require improved means to enhance photon absorption in the active layer. Here, we report enhanced-absorption colloidal quantum dot (CQD) solar cells that feature transfer-stamped solution-processed pyramid-shaped electrodes employed in a hierarchically structured device. The pyramids increase, by up to a factor of 2, the external quantum efficiency of the device at absorption-limited wavelengths near the absorber band edge. We show that absorption enhancement can be optimized with increased pyramid angle with an appreciable net improvement in power conversion efficiency, that is, with the gain in current associated with improved absorption and extraction overcoming the smaller fractional decrease in open-circuit voltage associated with increased junction area. We show that the hierarchical combination of micron-scale structured electrodes with nanoscale films provides for an optimized enhancement at absorption-limited wavelengths. We fabricate 54.7° pyramid-patterned electrodes, conformally apply the quantum dot films, and report pyramid CQD solar cells that exhibit a 24% improvement in overall short-circuit current density with champion devices providing a power conversion efficiency of 9.2%.

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UR - https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/nl504086v

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U2 - 10.1021/nl504086v

DO - 10.1021/nl504086v

M3 - Article

SN - 1530-6984

VL - 15

SP - 1101

EP - 1108

JO - Nano Letters

JF - Nano Letters

IS - 2

ER -

Colloidal quantum dot solar cells exploiting hierarchical structuring

Abstract

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ASJC Scopus subject areas

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