Monolithic Two-Terminal Tandem Solar Cells Using Sb2S3 and Solution-Processed PbS Quantum Dots Achieving an Open-Circuit Potential beyond 1.1 V

Kern S, Yi G, Büttner P, Scheler F, Tran MH, Korenko S, Dehm K, Kundrata I, Zahl A, Albrecht S, Bachmann J, Crisp R (2024)

Publication Type: Journal article, Original article

Publication year: 2024

Journal

ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces American Chemical Society

Book Volume: 16

Pages Range: 13903-13913

Journal Issue: 11

DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c16154

Abstract

Multijunction solar cells have the prospect of a greater theoretical efficiency limit than single-junction solar cells by minimizing the transmissive and thermalization losses a single absorber material has. In solar cell applications, Sb2S3 is considered an attractive absorber due to its elemental abundance, stability, and high absorption coefficient in the visible range of the solar spectrum, yet with a band gap of 1.7 eV, it is transmissive for near-IR and IR photons. Using it as the top cell (the cell where light is first incident) in a two-terminal tandem architecture in combination with a bottom cell (the cell where light arrives second) of PbS quantum dots (QDs), which have an adjustable band gap suitable for absorbing longer wavelengths, is a promising approach to harvest the solar spectrum more effectively. In this work, these two subcells are monolithically fabricated and connected in series by a poly(3,4-ethylene-dioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS)-ZnO tunnel junction as the recombination layer. We explore the surface morphology of ZnO QD films with different spin-coating conditions, which serve as the PbS QD cell’s electron transport material. Furthermore, we examine the differences in photogenerated current upon varying the PbS QD absorber layer thickness and the electrical and optical characteristics of the tandem with respect to the stand-alone reference cells. This tandem architecture demonstrates an extended spectral response into the IR with an open-circuit potential exceeding 1.1 V and a power conversion efficiency of 5.6%, which is greater than that of each single-junction cell.

Authors with CRIS profile

Selina Kern Lehrstuhl für Chemistry of thin film materials Pascal Büttner Lehrstuhl für Chemistry of thin film materials Florian Scheler Lehrstuhl für Chemistry of thin film materials Sofia Korenko Lehrstuhl für Chemistry of thin film materials Katharina Dehm Lehrstuhl für Chemistry of thin film materials Ivan Kundrata Lehrstuhl für Chemistry of thin film materials Achim Zahl Lehrstuhl für Chemistry of thin film materials Julien Bachmann Lehrstuhl für Chemistry of thin film materials Ryan Crisp Lehrstuhl für Chemistry of thin film materials

Additional Organisation(s)

Institute Materials for Electronics and Energy Technology (i-MEET) (i-MEET)

Related research project(s)

Solar Reduction of CO2 at Nano-Architectured Photoelectrodes Featuring Advanced Photon Management Feb. 1, 2022 - Feb. 1, 2025

Involved external institutions

Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie (HZB) DE Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Kern, S., Yi, G., Büttner, P., Scheler, F., Tran, M.H., Korenko, S.,... Crisp, R. (2024). Monolithic Two-Terminal Tandem Solar Cells Using Sb2S3 and Solution-Processed PbS Quantum Dots Achieving an Open-Circuit Potential beyond 1.1 V. ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces, 16(11), 13903-13913. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.3c16154

MLA:

Kern, Selina, et al. "Monolithic Two-Terminal Tandem Solar Cells Using Sb2S3 and Solution-Processed PbS Quantum Dots Achieving an Open-Circuit Potential beyond 1.1 V." ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces 16.11 (2024): 13903-13913.

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