Nanostructure engineering of infrared-bandgap nanomaterials based solar cells

基于红外带隙纳米材料的太阳能电池的纳米结构工程

• 批准号: 436083-2013
• 负责人: Wang, Xihua
• 金额: $ 1.82万
• 依托单位: University of Alberta
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2015
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2015-01-01 至 2016-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=574272
• 关键词: Nanostructure; engineering; infrared; bandgap; nanomaterials

Multi-junction photovoltaics, particularly tandem and triple-junction solar cells, are efficient approaches to convert solar energy into electricity, since their constitute semiconductor materials have bandgaps from visible down to infrared (IR) regions and are capable of collecting full-spectrum of solar energy. Solution-processed colloidal quantum dots (CQDs), nanoparticles whose diameter determines which of the sun's broad spectrum of colours these materials absorb, are candidates for light-absorbing layers in multi-junction photovoltaics. We will develop high-efficiency, low-cost tandem and trip-junction solar cells with solution-processed PbS CQDs as IR harvesters. In the proposed research program, we will develop high-efficiency infrared-bandgap CQD solar cells. Specifically, we are targeting a device having external quantum efficiency of 80% in infrared region by trapping light in sub-micron thick CQD films through nanostructure engineering. We will further develop a physics model to evaluate the performance enhancement in CQD solar cells through modeling and experiment, and extend our research on nanostructured photovoltaics beyond CQD solar cells to achieve light management of reemitted light for breaking the Shockley-Queisser limit. The proposed works provide engineering solutions to achieve high infrared photon-to-electricity conversion by infrared-bandgap nanomaterials, which will enable the multi-junction solar cells for full solar spectrum harvesting. Integrated with smart-grid technology to manage electricity supplies, PbS CQDs and visible-bandgap materials will enable large-scale adoption of low-cost, high-efficiency multi-junction solar cells as energy source, which is critical to Canada and the world's future.

多结光伏电池，特别是串联和三结太阳能电池，是将太阳能转换为电能的有效方法，因为它们构成的半导体材料具有从可见光到红外（IR）区域的带隙，并且能够收集全光谱的太阳能。溶液处理的胶体量子点（CQD），纳米粒子的直径决定了这些材料吸收太阳光谱中的哪种颜色，是多结光子学中光吸收层的候选者。我们将开发高效率，低成本的串联和三结太阳能电池与解决方案处理的PbS CQD作为IR收获器。 在拟议的研究计划中，我们将开发高效率的红外带隙CQD太阳能电池。具体来说，我们的目标是通过纳米结构工程在亚微米厚的CQD膜中捕获光，从而在红外区域具有80%的外量子效率的器件。我们将进一步开发一个物理模型，通过建模和实验来评估CQD太阳能电池的性能增强，并将我们对纳米结构光致发光的研究扩展到CQD太阳能电池之外，以实现对再发射光的光管理，从而突破Shockley-Queisser限制。 拟议的工作提供了工程解决方案，通过红外带隙纳米材料实现高红外光电转换，这将使多结太阳能电池能够获得完整的太阳光谱。与智能电网技术相结合来管理电力供应，PbS CQD和可见带隙材料将使低成本，高效率的多结太阳能电池作为能源的大规模采用成为可能，这对加拿大和世界的未来至关重要。