Assembly of different bandgap semiconductor quantum dots within mesoscopic TiO2 films offers a new way to design  tandem layered quantum dot sensitized solar cells (QDSC). By employing benchtop chemical approach it is possible to tune electronic and optical properties of semiconductor nanocrystals and design high efficiency solar cells with. Highly luminescent ternary chalcogenide quantum dots (QDs) with gradient composition have now been prepared to tune the absorption properties of in the visible. Sequential electrophoretic deposition of crystalline CdSeS nanoparticles enables layered structures within the mesoscopic TiO2 film and thus maximizes light harvesting capability of quantum dot solar cell (QDSC). The sequential layering of higher bandgap CdSeS QDs followed by lower bandgap QDs provides a better synergy for harvesting incident photons across the visible spectrum. Two-layer and three-layer QD deposition have been shown to exhibit synergetic effect during the operation of tandem layered QDSC. This maiden concept of utilizing ternary metal chalcogenides for designing tandem layered quantum dot solar cells paves the way to design new strategies for improving the efficiency of solar cells.

Designing tandem layered quantum dot solar cells with CdSeS nanocrystals

246th National Meeting (2013)

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