Next-Generation Quantum Dots-Based Multijunction Photovoltaics

Abstract

AbstractPhotovoltaic cells (PVc), as an energy provider to the next generation and the biggest source of renewable energy. Since last decade, improving efficiency and reducing the cost of PVc has been a subject of active research among scientists. Promising progress in the field of material science and manufacturing process at nanolevel played a big role. Still, at present, there are many challenges before photovoltaics for efficient and economic energy. However, photovoltaic cells based on p–n type homojunction semiconductors with different organic and inorganic materials reported thus generally suffer from poor performance. According to the available literature, colloidal quantum dots having immense properties like a wide range of light absorption, easily charge separation and transport. To utilize the maximum part of the spectrum of solar energy reaching to the earth and making effective energy production, here we introduce the complete cell architecture and numerical investigation on quantum dot-based solar cells (QDSCs) with a heterostructure multijunction approach. Successive ionic layer adsorption at different heterogeneous interfaces was analyzed. We majorly focused on improving the electrical and optical properties of the QDSCs achieved by different materials and structural approaches. Here, we report a heterostructure II-Type of band alignment engineering strategy for QDSCs interfaces that significantly enhances the efficiency descriptors. In the context of intermediate band solar cell (IBSC), we investigated optical properties of QDs and strain effects on multilayer PVc and we summarize the strain effect in QDs growth and local energy band bending of conduction band (CB) and valence band (VB).KeywordsPhotovoltaics cellRenewable energyQuantum dotsMultijunctionHeterostructure