New quantum dot strategy can improve electrical conductivity of photo voltaic cells – Uplaza

A crew led by Professor Jongmin Choi of the Division of Vitality Science and Engineering has developed a PbS quantum dot that may quickly improve {the electrical} conductivity of photo voltaic cells. The findings are revealed within the journal Small.

The crew recognized a way to boost electrical conductivity by means of using “pulse-shaped” mild, which generates substantial power in a concentrated method at common intervals. This methodology may substitute the warmth therapy course of, which requires a big period of time to attain the identical consequence. This strategy is anticipated to facilitate the manufacturing and commercialization of PbS quantum dot photo voltaic cells sooner or later.

PbS quantum dots are nanoscale semiconductor supplies which might be being actively researched for the event of next-generation photo voltaic cells. They’ll take up a variety of wavelengths of daylight, together with ultraviolet, seen mild, near-infrared, and shortwave infrared, and have low processing prices due to resolution processing and wonderful photoelectric properties.

The fabrication of PbS quantum dot photo voltaic cells entails a number of course of steps. Till just lately, the warmth therapy course of was thought-about a necessary step because it successfully coats a layer of quantum dots onto a substrate and heat-treats the fabric to additional enhance its electrical conductivity.

Nonetheless, when PbS quantum dots are uncovered to mild, warmth, and moisture, the formation of defects on their floor might be accelerated, resulting in cost recombination and deterioration of system efficiency. This phenomenon makes it difficult to commercialize these supplies.

To suppress the formation of defects on the floor of PbS quantum dots, a crew led by Professor Choi proposed a warmth therapy involving the publicity of the dots to mild for a quick interval of some milliseconds. Standard strategies for heat-treating PbS quantum dot layers contain heating them for tens of minutes at excessive temperatures utilizing sizzling plates, ovens, and so forth.

The analysis crew’s proposed “pulse-type heat treatment technique” overcomes the shortcomings of the present methodology by utilizing robust mild to finish the warmth therapy course of in a number of milliseconds. This leads to the suppression of floor defects and the extension of the touring lifetime of expenses (electrons, holes) that generate electrical present. Moreover, it achieves excessive effectivity.

“Through this research, we were able to improve the efficiency of solar cells by developing a new heat treatment process that can overcome the limitations of the existing quantum dot heat treatment process,” stated Professor Choi of the Division of Vitality Science and Engineering at DGIST.

“Furthermore, the development of a quantum dot process with excellent ripple effect is expected to facilitate the widespread application of this technology to a range of optoelectronic devices in the future.”

This analysis was finished in collaboration with Professor Changyong Lim of the Division of Vitality Chemical Engineering on the Kyungpook Nationwide College and Professor Jongchul Lim of the Division of Vitality Engineering on the Chungnam Nationwide College.