Issue 5, 2024

Nanocrystals as performance-boosting materials for solar cells

Abstract

Nanocrystals (NCs) have been widely studied owing to their distinctive properties and promising application in new-generation photoelectric devices. In photovoltaic devices, semiconductor NCs can act as efficient light harvesters for high-performance solar cells. Besides light absorption, NCs have shown great significance as functional layers for charge (hole and electron) transport and interface modification to improve the power conversion efficiency and stability of solar cells. NC-based functional layers can boost hole/electron transport ability, adjust energy level alignment between a light absorbing layer and charge transport layer, broaden the absorption range of an active layer, enhance intrinsic stability, and reduce fabrication cost. In this review, recent advances in NCs as a hole transport layer, electron transport layer, and interfacial layer are discussed. Additionally, NC additives to improve the performance of solar cells are demonstrated. Finally, a summary and future prospects of NC-based functional materials in solar cells are presented, addressing their limitations and suggesting potential solutions.

Graphical abstract: Nanocrystals as performance-boosting materials for solar cells

Article information

Article type
Review Article
Submitted
29 Nov 2023
Accepted
31 Jan 2024
First published
01 Feb 2024
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY-NC license

Nanoscale Adv., 2024,6, 1331-1360

Nanocrystals as performance-boosting materials for solar cells

B. Yang, J. Cang, Z. Li and J. Chen, Nanoscale Adv., 2024, 6, 1331 DOI: 10.1039/D3NA01063E

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