Hybrid Polymer/Nanocrystal Solar Cells

Abstract

Part III of the book discusses concepts to realize solar cells involving colloidal nanocrystals. The first concept, being the subject of this chapter, is hybrid polymer/nanocrystal solar cells. Hybrid solar cells are basically similar to organic polymer/fullerene bulk heterojunction solar cells, but with the difference that the fullerene acceptor is replaced by inorganic semiconductor nanocrystals. The active layer is then a composite of an organic component, the conductive polymer, and an inorganic component, the semiconductor nanocrystals. This organic–inorganic material combination gave rise to the expression “hybrid solar cells”. This chapter discusses general, potential advantages of hybrid solar cells with respect to organic polymer/fullerene devices. An up-to-date overview over the success achieved with different material systems is provided as well as insight into the difficulties encountered. In general, the performance of hybrid solar cells still lacks behind that of organic polymer/fullerene devices. Therefore, special emphasis is dedicated to the specific differences between hybrid and organic solar cells.