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Localized Surface Plasmon Enhanced Quantum Dot Solar Cells

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 July 2012

Jiang Wu ,
Scott Mangham ,
Rick Eyi ,
Seungyong Lee ,
Vanga R. Reddy  and
Omar Manasreh
Jiang Wu
Affiliation:
Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas, 72701 U.S.A.
Scott Mangham
Affiliation:
Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas, 72701 U.S.A.
Rick Eyi
Affiliation:
Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas, 72701 U.S.A.
Seungyong Lee
Affiliation:
Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas, 72701 U.S.A.
Vanga R. Reddy
Affiliation:
Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas, 72701 U.S.A.
Omar Manasreh
Affiliation:
Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas, 72701 U.S.A.
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Abstract

Surface plasmon enhanced InAs/GaAs quantum dot solar cells are reported. Light trapping by metallic nanostructures offers the potential to realize high efficient quantum dot based intermediate band solar cells. Both Au and Ag nanoparticles spherical metal nanoparticles are synthesized by the salt reduction method. The large area coupling of metal nanoparticles and quantum dot solar cell surface is carried out by using 1,3-propanedithiol as linker molecules. The conversion efficiency of the solar cells has been increased from 9.5% to 11.6% after deposition of Au nanoparticles and from 9.5 to 10.9% after incorporating Ag nanoparticles. The conversion efficiency enhancement is mainly as a result of improved photocurrent due to enhanced forward scattering from the plasmonic nanostructures.

Keywords

photovoltaicmetalnanostructure

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References

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