Method and structure for thin film photovoltaic materials using semiconductor materials

摘要

A photovoltaic device and related methods. The device has a nanostructured material positioned between an electron collecting electrode and a hole collecting electrode. An electron transporting/hole blocking material is positioned between the electron collecting electrode and the nanostructured material. In a specific embodiment, negatively charged carriers generated by optical absorption by the nanostructured material are preferentially separated into the electron transporting/hole blocking material. In a specific embodiment, the nanostructured material has an optical absorption coefficient of at least 103 cm−1 for light comprised of wavelengths within the range of about 400 nm to about 700 nm.

主权项

1. A photovoltaic nanocomposite nanostructured material, comprising:
a first nanostructured material and a second nanostructured material; an intermixed region provided between the first nanostructured material and the second nanostructured material comprising the first nanostructured material and the second nanostructured material, wherein the intermixed region comprises extensions of the first nanostructured material alternating laterally across the nanocomposite nanostructured material with extensions of the second nanostructure material; a third nanostructured material comprising silicon, wherein the third nanostructured material is positioned in between each extension of the first nanostructured material and the second nanostructured material; a first electron affinity and a first ionization potential characterizing the first nanostructured material; a second electron affinity and a second ionization potential characterizing the second nanostructured material, whereupon the first electron affinity being less than the second electron affinity and the first ionization potential being less than the second ionization potential, and the second electron affinity being less than that the first ionization potential; and an optical absorption coefficient of at least 103 cm-1 for light comprised of wavelengths within the range of about 400 nm to about 700 nm characterizing at least one or both of the first nanostructured material and the second nanostructured material.