One-dimensional van der Waals heterostructures (1D vdW HTs) based on single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) encapsulating linear carbon chains (LCCs) with tunable optoelectronic properties provide a fresh ground for efficient excitonic solar cells (XSCs) alternative to those based on 2D monolayer materials. As an effort to identify for the first time 1D vdW HTs for efficient XSCs application, we perform here a systematic theoretical investigation on the energetic and structural stability, optoelectronic and photovoltaic properties of 1D vdW HTs based on SWCNTs encapsulating 50 symmetrical LCCs of different lengths, and capped with different conjugated endgroups through comprehensive first-principles calculations. We showed the fundamental role of the length and the endgroups effects in modulating the optoelectronic properties of LCCs. Through exploration of the energetic stability of the 1D vdW HTs of LCCs@SWCNTs from the universal force field (UFF) including vdW interactions, we determined the optimal SWCNTs diameters for which the resulting 1D vdW HTs are stable. Then, the band alignment in the 50 stable 1D vdW HTs of LCCs@SWCNTs is examined. Intriguingly, stable LCCs@SWCNTs are identified as type-II 1D vdW HTs complying the prerequisite of XSCs with strong optical absorption in the UV–visible-NIR spectral regions, and power conversion efficiency (PCE) reaching well over 21 %. These findings unravel the enormous potential of the 1D vdW HTs in designing next-generation XSCs devices competitive with state-of-the-art solar cells.
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