Novel Energy Materials and Advanced Characterisation

Abstract:

Organic-inorganic metal halide perovskites have recently emerged as a top contender to be used as an absorber material in highly efficient, low-cost photovoltaic devices. Solution-processed semiconductors tend to have a high density of defect states and exhibit a large degree of electronic disorder. Perovskites appear to go against this trend, and despite relatively little knowledge of the impact of electronic defects, certified solar-to-electrical power conversion efficiencies of up to 17.9% have been achieved. Here, through treatment of the crystal surfaces with the Lewis bases thiophene and pyridine, we demonstrate significantly reduced nonradiative electron-hole recombination within the CH(3)NH(3)PbI(3-x)Cl(x) perovskite, achieving photoluminescence lifetimes which are enhanced by nearly an order of magnitude, up to 2 μs. We propose that this is due to the electronic passivation of under-coordinated Pb atoms within the crystal. Through this method of Lewis base passivation, we achieve power conversion efficiencies for solution-processed planar heterojunction solar cells enhanced from 13% for the untreated solar cells to 15.3% and 16.5% for the thiophene and pyridine-treated solar cells, respectively.

Abstract:

Polystyrene spheres are used to template TiO2 with a single layer of 300 nm wells which are infilled with PbS quantum dots to form a heterojunction solar cell. The porous well device has an efficiency of 5.7% while the simple planar junction is limited to 3.2%. Using a combination of optical absorption and photocurrent transient decay measurement we determined that the performance enhancement comes from a combination of enhanced optical absorption and increased carrier lifetime.

Abstract:

The field of solution-processed photovoltaic cells is currently in its second spring. The dye-sensitized solar cell is a widely studied and longstanding candidate for future energy generation. Recently, inorganic absorber-based devices have reached new record efficiencies, with the benefits of all-solid-state devices. In this rapidly changing environment, this review sheds light on recent developments in all-solid-state solar cells in terms of electrode architecture, alternative sensitizers, and hole-transporting materials. These concepts are of general applicability to many next-generation device platforms. The field of solution-processed photovoltaic cells is currently in its second spring, with solid-state devices incorporating novel inorganic absorbers reaching record efficiencies. This review sheds light on recent developments in all-solid-state solar cells in terms of electrode architecture, alternative sensitizers, and hole-transporting materials: concepts applicable to many next-generation device platforms. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Abstract:

The field of solution-processed photovoltaic cells is currently in its second spring. The dye-sensitized solar cell is a widely studied and longstanding candidate for future energy generation. Recently, inorganic absorber-based devices have reached new record efficiencies, with the benefits of all-solid-state devices. In this rapidly changing environment, this review sheds light on recent developments in all-solid-state solar cells in terms of electrode architecture, alternative sensitizers, and hole-transporting materials. These concepts are of general applicability to many next-generation device platforms.

Abstract:

Already exhibiting solar to electrical power conversion efficiencies of over 17%, organic-inorganic lead halide perovskite solar cells are one of the most promising emerging contenders in the drive to provide a cheap and clean source of energy. One concern however, is the potential toxicology issue of lead, a key component in the archetypical material. The most likely substitute is tin, which like lead, is also a group 14 metal. While organic-inorganic tin halide perovskites have shown good semiconducting behaviour, the instability of tin in its 2+ oxidation state has thus far proved to be an overwhelming challenge. Here, we report the first completely lead-free, CH3NH 3SnI3 perovskite solar cell processed on a mesoporous TiO2 scaffold, reaching efficiencies of over 6% under 1 sun illumination. Remarkably, we achieve open circuit voltages over 0.88 V from a material which has a 1.23 eV band gap.