EAGER: Printed Photonic Crystal-Based Tandem Polymer Solar Cell

EAGER：基于印刷光子晶体的串联聚合物太阳能电池

• 批准号: 1247838
• 负责人: Jayan Thomas
• 金额: $ 11万
• 依托单位: The University of Central Florida Board of Trustees
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2012
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2012-09-01 至 2015-02-28
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1247838&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: EAGER; Printed; Photonic; Crystal; Based

Currently, a major issue limiting the solar energy conversion efficiency of polymer solar cells (PSC) is the inefficiency in harvesting the entire solar spectrum. This is mainly due to two reasons: incomplete light absorption and small bandgap of the active polymer materials used. The objective of this proposal is to address these issues by developing a PSC capable of efficiently harvesting solar energy over a wide spectral range by employing (1) light trapping printed photonic crystal architecture, and (2) plasmonic field assisted energy upconversion. Accomplishing light trapping and upconversion simultaneously in a tandem PSC will be a transformative approach. Intellectual Merit: The proposed research is the first example of combining photonic crystal and plasmon assisted light upconverting structures in a tandem PSC. The device developed will be capable of harvesting a broad solar absorption spectrum. A systematic study on the dependence of photonic crystal architecture and the energy conversion efficiency will be performed based on modeling. The success of the proposed printing technology will open up new avenues for developing plasmon assisted upconverting tandem PSC.Broader Impact: The subject of this proposal involves nanotechnology, optics and material science and therefore the graduate students involved in this research will be exposed to cutting edge research projects in the state-of-the-art laboratories. PI desires to integrate the subject of the proposal into the graduate curriculum currently offered in The College of Optics and Photonics at the University of Central Florida. This will be beneficial to develop a workforce in the energy conversion realm.

目前，限制聚合物太阳能电池（PSC）的太阳能转换效率的主要问题是收集整个太阳光谱的效率低下。这主要是由于两个原因：不完全的光吸收和所使用的活性聚合物材料的带隙小。该提议的目的是通过开发能够通过采用（1）光捕获印刷光子晶体架构和（2）等离子体激元场辅助能量上转换在宽光谱范围内有效地收集太阳能的PSC来解决这些问题。在串联PSC中同时实现光捕获和上转换将是一种变革性的方法。智力优势：所提出的研究是在串联PSC中结合光子晶体和等离子体激元辅助的光上转换结构的第一个例子。开发的设备将能够收集广泛的太阳能吸收光谱。在此基础上，对光子晶体结构与能量转换效率的关系进行了系统的研究。拟议的印刷技术的成功将开辟新的途径，发展等离子体辅助上转换串联PSC.Broader影响：本提案的主题涉及纳米技术，光学和材料科学，因此参与这项研究的研究生将接触到尖端的研究项目，在国家的最先进的实验室。PI希望将该提案的主题整合到中央佛罗里达大学光学与光子学学院目前提供的研究生课程中。这将有利于发展能源转换领域的劳动力。