Nanostructured upconverters for improved solar cell performance

Abstract

Triplet-triplet annihilation photon upconversion (TTA-UC) is a promising candidate for mitigating sub-band gap absorption losses in solar cells. In TTA-UC, sensitiser dyes absorb sub-band gap photons, cross to a triplet state, and transfer triplet excitons to emitter dyes. Two triplet-excited emitters can undergo TTA, raising one emitter to a higher-energy bright singlet state. The quadratic efficiency of TTA-UC at device-relevant light intensities motivates a push towards the higher chromophore densities achievable in the solid phase. We have begun this process by tethering tetrakisquinoxalino palladium porphyrin to 20nm silica nanoparticles using peptide chemistry techniques, achieving a total-volume concentration of 1.5mM. The phosphorescence kinetics of the tethered porphyrins was measured to quantify quenching by rubrene emitter. Upconverter performance was measured in a solar cell enhancement experiment.