QD's Solar Energy Conversion

QD's for solar energy conversion

The emergence of semiconductor nanocrystals (NCs) or quantum dots (QDs) has paved an application at solar energy conversion arena. QD based solar cells are highly researched due to their advantages over silicon, polymer and dye based solar energy converters. The first and second-generation solar cells failed due to their higher cost for manufacturing and less efficiency that they face. Quantum dots based solar cells are cheap and effective in terms of manufacturing cost and efficiency. The need of energy conversion for greener living stands an important requisite today and use of these Quantum dots could facilitate the area of energy conversion.

The size dependent properties of QDs make them stand as an important strategy in the area of solar energy conversion. Different sized QDs can be utilized to absorb sunlight over entire spectrum range thus making light harvesting and conversion very efficient. QD based solar cells overcome all the pitfalls faced by earlier generation counterparts due to their advantageous properties like size quantization, thermostability, photostability, high theoretical efficiency, low cost etc.

Functionalized Electrophoretic Deposition of CdSe QDs onto TiO2

We have designed a new technique termed functionalized electrophoretic deposition for constructing solar cells based on QDs. The advantage of this system enhances the solar energy conversion efficacy to a higher scale. We are currently working on synthesizing vibrant size and shaped QDs with broad sunlight absorbtion to enhance the solar energy conversion efficacy.

Aby CheruvathoorPoulose, S. Veeranarayanan, S. H. Varghese, Y. Yoshida, T. Maekawa, D. S. Kumar. Functionalized Electrophoretic deposition of CdSe QDs on to TiO2 electrode for photovoltaic application. Chemical Physics Letter, 2012, 539-540: 197-203.