ALD Grown Aluminum Oxide Submonolayers in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells: The Effect on Interfacial Electron Transfer and Performance

Antila, Liisa J.; Heikkilä, Mikko; Mäkinen, Ville; Humalamäki, Niko; Laitinen, Mikko; Linko, Veikko; Jalkanen, Pasi; Toppari, J. Jussi; Aumanen, Viivi; Kemell, Marianna; Myllyperkiö, Pasi; Honkala, Karoliina; Häkkinen, Hannu; Leskelä, Markku; Korppi-Tommola, Jouko

doi:10.1021/jp204886n

Cited by 58 publications

(69 citation statements)

References 55 publications

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“…The effects on J SC and V OC of electrode modification with alumina are similar to those arising from TBP addition, and we assume that the causes are similar. Previous work by Antilla et al 41,42 strongly supports the notion that even small amounts of ALD alumina can lower injection yields sufficiently to substantially degrade short-circuit current densities. 59 From eq 1, an alternative or additional explanation for the modifier-induced decreases in J SC would be increases in J recombination .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 83%

Dynamics of Back Electron Transfer in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells Featuring 4-tert-Butyl-Pyridine and Atomic-Layer-Deposited Alumina as Surface Modifiers

et al. 2014

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A series of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) was constructed with TiO2 nanoparticles and N719 dye. The standard I3(-)/I(-) redox shuttle and the Co(1,10-phenanthroline)3(3+/2+) shuttle were employed. DSCs were modified with atomic-layered-deposited (ALD) coatings of Al2O3 and/or with the surface-adsorbing additive 4-tert-butyl-pyridine. Current-voltage data were collected to ascertain the influence of each modification upon the back electron transfer (ET) dynamics of the DSCs. The primary effect of the additives alone or in tandem is to increase the open-circuit voltage. A second is to alter the short-circuit current density, JSC. With dependence on the specifics of the system examined, any of a myriad of dynamics-related effects were observed to come into play, in both favorable (efficiency boosting) and unfavorable (efficiency damaging) ways. These effects include modulation of (a) charge-injection yields, (b) rates of interception of injected electrons by redox shuttles, and (c) rates of recombination of injected electrons with holes on surface-bound dyes. In turn, these influence charge-collection lengths, charge-collection yields, and onset potentials for undesired dark current. The microscopic origins of the effects appear to be related mainly to changes in driving force and/or electronic coupling for underlying component redox reactions. Perhaps surprisingly, only a minor role for modifier-induced shifts in conduction-band-edge energy was found. The combination of DSC-efficiency-relevant effects engendered by the modifiers was found to vary substantially as a function of the chemical identity of the redox shuttle employed. While types of modifiers are effective, a challenge going forward will be to construct systems in ways in which the benefits of organic and inorganic modifiers can be exploited in fully additive, or even synergistic, fashion.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 83%

Dynamics of Back Electron Transfer in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells Featuring 4-tert-Butyl-Pyridine and Atomic-Layer-Deposited Alumina as Surface Modifiers

et al. 2014

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“…It operates in alkaline aqueous solution (1 M KOH, pH 13.7), which is optimal for water oxidation. Carbon dioxide is reduced at a Pd/C-coated Ti mesh cathode in close to neutral solution (2.8 M HCO 3 − , pH = 8.0) exposed to 1 atm of CO 2 gas. The bipolar membrane [17][18][19][20] allows to maintain the large pH difference of the cell under continuous operation at a light-limited photocurrent density of 8.5 mA cm −2 and > 94% Faradaic efficiency for CO 2 reduction to formate [15] .…”

Section: Silica Nanolayers With Embedded Molecular Wires For Artificimentioning

confidence: 99%

Photocatalytic fuel production

Frei

2017

Current Opinion in Electrochemistry

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“…79 We showed that while Al 2 O 3 behaves as would be expected of a barrier layer material in terms of open circuit voltage, short circuit current, and dependence of electron lifetime on barrier layer thickness, efficiency enhancements were only observed at one ALD cycle and no enhancement was observed when ALD was applied to TiCl 4 treated devices. 97 This suggests that Al 2 O 3 nucleation may occur on "problem sites" on the TiO 2 surface that resist dye adsorption, electron injection or have higher surface recombination than typical TiO 2 surface sites (i.e. Calculations have predicted the surface coverage of a single ALD cycle of Al 2 O 3 to be 50-75% on mesoporous TiO 2 .…”

Section: Dye-sensitized Solar Cellsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Atomic layer deposition in nanostructured photovoltaics: tuning optical, electronic and surface properties

2015

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Nanostructured materials offer key advantages for third-generation photovoltaics, such as the ability to achieve high optical absorption together with enhanced charge carrier collection using low cost components. However, the extensive interfacial areas in nanostructured photovoltaic devices can cause high recombination rates and a high density of surface electronic states. In this feature article, we provide a brief review of some nanostructured photovoltaic technologies including dye-sensitized, quantum dot sensitized and colloidal quantum dot solar cells. We then introduce the technique of atomic layer deposition (ALD), which is a vapor phase deposition method using a sequence of self-limiting surface reaction steps to grow thin, uniform and conformal films. We discuss how ALD has established itself as a promising tool for addressing different aspects of nanostructured photovoltaics. Examples include the use of ALD to synthesize absorber materials for both quantum dot and plasmonic solar cells, to grow barrier layers for dye and quantum dot sensitized solar cells, and to infiltrate coatings into colloidal quantum dot solar cell to improve charge carrier mobilities as well as stability. We also provide an example of monolayer surface modification in which adsorbed ligand molecules on quantum dots are used to tune the band structure of colloidal quantum dot solar cells for improved charge collection. Finally, we comment on the present challenges and future outlook of the use of ALD for nanostructured photovoltaics.

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ALD Grown Aluminum Oxide Submonolayers in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells: The Effect on Interfacial Electron Transfer and Performance

Cited by 58 publications

References 55 publications

Dynamics of Back Electron Transfer in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells Featuring 4-tert-Butyl-Pyridine and Atomic-Layer-Deposited Alumina as Surface Modifiers

Dynamics of Back Electron Transfer in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells Featuring 4-tert-Butyl-Pyridine and Atomic-Layer-Deposited Alumina as Surface Modifiers

Photocatalytic fuel production

Atomic layer deposition in nanostructured photovoltaics: tuning optical, electronic and surface properties

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