Quantum Dots Promise to Significantly Boost Solar Cell Efficiencies (Fact Sheet)

关键词: SOLAR CELLS;    PHOTOVOLTAICS;    THIRD-GENERATION SOLAR CELLS;    QUANTUM DOTS;    QUANTUM-DOT SOLAR CELLS;    EXCITONS;    MULTIPLE EXCITON GENERATION;    MEG;    COLLOIDAL SUSPENSIONS;    MOLECULAR SELF-ASSEMBLY;    LEAD SULFIDE;    NANOWIRES;    QUANTUM COMPUTING;    Solar Energy - Photovoltaics;   

DOI  :  10.2172/1090155
RP-ID  :  NREL/FS-6A42-59015
PID  :  OSTI ID: 1090155

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来源: SciTech Connect

【 摘 要 】

In the search for a third generation of solar-cell technologies, a leading candidate is the use of 'quantum dots' -- tiny spheres of semiconductor material measuring only about 2-10 billionths of a meter in diameter. Quantum dots have the potential to dramatically increase the efficiency of converting sunlight into energy -- perhaps even doubling it in some devices -- because of their ability to generate more than one bound electron-hole pair, or exciton, per incoming photon. NREL has produced quantum dots using colloidal suspensions; then, using molecular self-assembly, they have been fabricated into the first-ever quantum-dot solar cells. While these devices operate with only 4.4% efficiency, they demonstrate the capability for low-cost manufacturing.