Bulk Heterojunction Solar Cells Based on Blends of Conjugated Polymers with II–VI and IV–VI Inorganic Semiconductor Quantum Dots

Abstract

Bulk heterojunction solar cells based on blends of quantum dots and conjugated polymers are a promising configuration for obtaining high-efficiency, cheaply fabricated solution-processed photovoltaic devices. Such devices are of significant interest as they have the potential to leverage the advantages of both types of materials, such as the high mobility, band gap tunability and possibility of multiple exciton generation in quantum dots together with the high mechanical flexibility and large molar extinction coefficient of conjugated polymers. Despite these advantages, the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of these hybrid devices has remained relatively low at around 6%, well behind that of all-organic or all-inorganic solar cells. This is attributed to major challenges that still need to be overcome before conjugated polymer-quantum dot blends can be considered viable for commercial application, such as controlling the film morphology and interfacial structure to ensure efficient charge transfer and charge transport. In this work, we present our findings with respect to the recent development of bulk heterojunctions made from conjugated polymer-quantum dot blends, list the ongoing strategies being attempted to improve performance, and highlight the key areas of research that need to be pursued to further develop this technology.

Extraction of Saturation Current and Ideality Factor from Measuring Voc and Isc of Photovoltaic Modules

“…Figure 3 shows the equivalent circuit model of a p-n junction solar cell in the dark where the cell is forward biased by a variable power supply, V DC . The shunt resistance, R sh , represents any parallel highconductivity paths across the junction or on the cell edges, and the series resistance, R s , represents the resistance in the bulk of the material and in the Ohmic contacts [4][5][6]. International Journal of Photoenergy From the figure, it is evident that the current through the cell is given by…”

One-Dimensional Electron Transport Layers for Perovskite Solar Cells

“…However, the relatively long energy payback times of inorganic solar cells [ 2 , 3 ] have partially impeded their pace to widespread deployment, and thus alternative approaches are being explored. Organic photovoltaics [ 4 ], dye-sensitized solar cells [ 5 ], halide perovskite solar cells [ 6 ], and quantum-dot solar cells [ 7 ] are examples of next generation solution-processable solar cell technologies that have emerged as lower cost, lower energy payback time alternatives to replace conventional solar cells [ 8 , 9 ]. Among these technologies, halide perovskite solar cells (HPSCs) are currently the topic of intense scientific and engineering interest due to their facile synthesis, use of earth-abundant constituent elements and high device performance [ 10 ].…”

New Materials to Solve Energy Issues through Photochemical and Photophysical Processes: The Kinetics Involved

“…Indeed, it is expected that efficient solar cells present great ability of exciton formation, efficient exciton transport and charge transport from the donor to the acceptor [13] to minimize the influence of the competitive processes such as exciton recombination that reduces the energy conversion efficiency [14].…”