Application of semiconductor nanocrystals to photovoltaic energy conversion devices

This white paper by Evident Technologies describes the difficulty in converting light energy into solar energy. Solar or photovoltaic (PV) cells are semiconductor devices that convert sunlight directly into electric current to produce usable electric power. The high cost of manufacturing and maintaining PV systems keeps this technology underutulized. This white paper explains the problem of contemporary solar cells and the current technology used in solar energy conversion, and describes the semiconductor nanocrystal and its inherent advantages when applied to solar cell technology.

The fundamental pathways for enhancing the conversion efficiency can be accessed in principle, in three different nanocrystal solar cell configurations; i.e. photovoltaic cells composed of nanocrystal arrays, nanocrystals dispersed in organic semiconductor polymer matrices, and nanocrystal–sensitized TiO2 solar cells.

• Email This Page
• Print This Page