Cover
Half Title
Title Page
Copyright Page
Table of Contents
Preface
Chapter 1: Electrons in Semiconductors
1.1: Introduction
1.2: Fundamental Properties of Semiconductors
1.2.1: Crystal Structures of Semiconductors
1.2.2: Electronic Resistivity and Optical Absorption Edge
1.3: Electrons and Holes in Semiconductors
1.3.1: Atomic Orbits and Energy Bands
1.3.2: Fermi–Dirac Statistics
1.3.3: P-Type and n-Type Doping
1.3.4: Transport Process of Electrons and Holes
1.3.5: Defects in Semiconductors
1.4: Built-in Electric Field
1.4.1: p–n Junction
1.4.2: Heterojunction
1.4.3: Semiconductor–Metal Contact
1.4.4: Semiconductor–Insulator Interface
1.5: Nanomaterials
1.5.1: Quantum Confinement and Quantum Confinement States
1.5.2: Moving Electrons in Quantum Confined System
1.5.3: Density of States of Quantum Confined System
1.5.4: Surface Modification of Nanomaterials
1.5.5: Preparation of Nanomaterials
1.6: Interaction between Light and Matter
1.6.1: Some Facts about Solar Radiation
1.6.2: Optical Transition Probability
1.6.3: Optical Transition in Low-Dimensional Semiconductors
Chapter 2: How Solar Cells Work
2.1: Photovoltaic Effect
2.1.1: The Physical Process of Photovoltaic Effect
2.1.2: The Photoelectric Conversion Efficiency
2.1.3: Modeling a Conventional Semiconductor Solar Cell
2.1.4: Charge Separation in Solar Cells
2.2: The Major Losses in Solar Cells
2.2.1: The Loss Mechanisms
2.2.2: Optical Losses
2.2.3: Electric Losses
2.2.4: Thermal Losses
2.3: Photovoltaic Devices: Solar Cells
2.3.1: Wafer-Based Si Solar Cells
2.3.2: Important Parameters of Solar Cells
2.3.3: Thin-Film Solar Cells
2.3.4: Nanomaterial-Based Solar Cells
2.4: Factors That Affect the Efficiency of Nano Solar Cell
2.4.1: Special Characteristics of Nano Photovoltaic Materials and Devices
2.4.2: Existing Problems That Affect Solar Cell Efficiency
2.4.3: Some Fundamental Rules in Designing a Solar Cell
2.5: Existing Problems in Solar Cells Used for Power Generation
Chapter 3: Nanomaterials and Structures for Photon Trapping
3.1: Wave-Particle Duality of Light and Light Reflection, Diffraction, and Refraction
3.1.1: Light Reflection and Diffraction at Interface between Two Dielectrics
3.1.2: Rayleigh Scattering and Mie Scattering
3.1.3: Lambertian Scattering
3.2: Light Trapping Methods
3.2.1: Light Trapping in Conventional Crystalline Si Solar Cells
3.2.2: Light Trapping in Nano Solar Cells
3.2.3: Light Trapping Using NW Arrays
3.2.4: Suppression of Light Reflecion Using Tapered Two-Dimensional Gratings
3.2.5: Enhancement of Light Absorption Reflection by Periodic Arrays of Nanowires
3.2.6: Enhancement of Light Absorption by Periodic Arrays of Nanoholes
3.2.7: Light Trapping Using Step-Like Nanocone Array
3.3: Light Trapping Using Plasmonic Technique
3.3.1: Localized Surface Plasmons
3.3.2: Light Trapping Effect Using Plasmons
3.3.3: Nanoparticle/Dielectric/Metal Structures for Light Trapping
3.3.4: Plasmonic Light Trapping Used for Solar Cells
3.3.5: Light Trapping Using High-Index Nanostructures
3.4: Photon Trapping Using Photonic Crystals
3.4.1: Photonic Crystals for the Manipulation of Light Propagation
3.4.2: One-Dimensional Photonic Crystals
3.4.3: Light Trapping Using 2D Photonic Crystals
3.4.4: Light Trapping Using 3D Photonic Crystals
3.4.5: Preparation of Photonic Crystal Used for Light Trapping
3.5: Some Applications
3.5.1: Plasmonic Light Trapping for Thin-Film a-Si:H Solar Cells
3.5.2: Light Trapping Layers Fabricated by Nano-Imprint Lithography
Chapter 4: Transparent Conducting Electrodes and Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells
4.1: Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells
4.1.1: Photoanodes of Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells
4.1.2: Transparent Conducting Electrodes
4.1.3: Nanomaterial Scaffold
4.1.4: Examples of Photoanodes
4.2: Carbon-Based Transparent Conducting Electrodes
4.2.1: Carbon Nanotubes
4.2.2: Graphene
4.2.3: Polymer Transparent Conducting Electrodes
4.3: Synthesis of TCF
4.3.1: Wet-Chemical Preparation
4.3.2: Anodic Oxidation
4.3.3: Vapor Transport Synthesis
4.3.4: Hydrothermal Process
4.4: Sensitizers
4.4.1: Ruthenium(II) Sensitizers
4.4.2: Metal-Free Tetrathienoacene Sensitizers
4.4.3: Porphyrin-Based D–π–A Sensitizers
4.4.4; Natural Dyes
4.5: Counter Electrodes
4.5.1: Metal Nanoparticles
4.5.2: Carbon Nanomaterials
4.5.3: TiN Nanotube Arrays
4.5.4: Porous Silicon
4.5.5: Cu2ZnSn(S1–xSex)4
Chapter 5: Quantum Dot Solar Cells
5.1: General Properties of Semiconductor Quantum Dots
5.1.1: Quantum Dot Composite Thin Films
5.1.2: Electronic Properties of Quantum Dots
5.1.3: Optical Properties of Quantum Dots
5.2: Growth of Quantum Dot
5.2.1: Hot-Injection Synthesis
5.2.2: Non-Injection Heat-Up Synthesis
5.2.3: Flow Reactor Method
5.3: Thin-Film Preparation
5.3.1: Spin Coating
5.3.2: Dip Coating
5.3.3: Drop Casting
5.3.4: Spray Coating and Inkjet Printing
5.4: Surface Ligand Exchanges and Shell Layer Growth
5.4.1: CdSe QDs Capped with Fullerene Derivatives
5.4.2: Air Stabilization of Colloidal Quantum Dots in Solid Matrixes
5.4.3: CdS Quantum dots with Tunable Surface Composition
5.5: Device Architectures of QD Solar Cells
5.5.1: Schottky Junction
5.5.2: Depleted Heterojunction
5.5.3: Nanoheterojunction Colloidal QD Solar Cells
5.5.4: Quantum Dot–Sensitized Cells
5.5.5: Other Quantum Dot Solar Cell Configurations
5.5.6: Extremely Thin Absorber Cells
5.5.7: Tandem Nano Solar Cells
5.6: Recent Work in Quantum Dot Solar Cells
5.6.1: QD Solar Cells with Conversion Efficiency Over 12% Due to Improved Photoanodes and Counter Electrode
5.6.2: High Conversion Power Achieved Using Perovskite QDs
5.6.3: QD Solar Cells with Improved Quality of QD Films
5.7: Existing Problems for Quantum Dot Solar Cells
Chapter 6: Solar Cells Based on One-Dimensional Nanomaterials
6.1: Fundamental Material Properties of Nanowires
6.1.1: Basic Theory
6.1.2: Electrical Properties of Semiconductor Nanowires
6.1.3: Optical Properties of Semiconductor Nanowires
6.2: Growth of 1D Nanomaterials
6.2.1: Vapor–Liquid–Solid Synthesis of III–V Nanowires
6.2.2: Vapor–Liquid–Solid Synthesis of Si Nanowires
6.2.3: Growth of Core/Shell NWs
6.2.4: Growth of NW with Axial Junction
6.2.5: Catalyst-Free Growth
6.2.6: Top-Down Etching
6.3: Device Architectures of Nanowire Solar Cells
6.3.1: Charge Generation and Separation in NWs
6.3.2: Charge Collection
6.3.3: Device Architecture of Nanowire Solar Cells
6.4: Some Nanowire Solar Cells
6.4.1: Group IV Nanowire Solar Cells
6.4.2: III–V Nanowire Solar Cells
6.4.3: II–VI Nanowire Solar Cells
6.4.4: Single Nanowire Solar Cells
6.5: Some Important Work Review
6.5.1: Solar Cells Based on Solution-Processed Core–Shell Nanowires
6.5.2: Si Nanowire Solar Cells with Axial and Radial p–n Junctions
6.5.3: GaAs Nanowire Array Solar Cells with Axial p−i−n Junctions
6.5.4: InP Nanowire Array Solar Cells with 13.8% Efficiency
6.5.5: Three-Dimensional Nanopillar-Array Solar Cells Based on n-Type CdS Nanopillars Embedded in p-Type CdTe
6.5.6: ZnO Core/Shell Nanowire Solar Cells
6.6: Existing Problems
Chapter 7: Hybrid Nano Solar Cells
7.1: About Hybrid Solar Cells
7.2: Fundamental Material Properties
7.2.1: Optical and Electrical Properties of Polymers
7.2.2: Some Electron and Hole Transport Polymers
7.3: Device Architectures and Working Principles
7.3.1: Device Work Principle
7.3.2: Junction Potentials in Devices
7.4: Device Structure of Hybrid Solar Cells
7.4.1: 3D Bulk Heterojunctions
7.4.2: Double Heterojunctions
7.4.3: Ordered Lamellar Architecture
7.4.4: Ordered Nanowire (Nanorod) Structures
7.5: Some Hybrid Solar Cells
7.5.1: A Hybrid Cell with Si Nanowires on Pyramid-Textured Surface
7.5.2: Nano-CdSe/Polymer Hybrid Cells
7.5.3: Hybrid Solar Cells Using GaAs Nanopillars
7.5.4: A Hybrid Tandem Solar Cell Consisting of a-Si:H Top Cell and a Dye-Sensitized Bottom Cell
7.5.5: A Hybrid Tandem Cell Consisting of an a-Si:H Front Cell and a Polymer-Based Organic Back Cell
7.6: Several Hybrid Nano Solar Cells with Efficiency ~10%
7.6.1: Polymer/Nano-Si Hybrid Cells
7.6.2: Efficient Hybrid Heterojunction Solar Cells Containing Perovskite Compound and Polymeric Hole Conductors
7.6.3: Highly Efficient Si-Nanorods/Organic Hybrid Core–Sheath Heterojunction Solar Cells
7.7: The Existing Problems
Chapter 8: Some Advanced Ideas for Enhancing the Conversion Efficiency
8.1: Overview of Strategies for Improving Photovoltaic Cell Efficiency
8.2: Multi-Junction Tandem SCs
8.2.1: Principle of Multi-Junction Solar Cells
8.2.2: Thin-Film Multi-Junction Tandem Solar Cells
8.2.3: Nano Multi-Junction Tandem Solar Cells
8.2.4: Spectrum Splitting
8.3: Hot-Carrier Capture
8.3.1: Hot-Carrier Generation in Semiconductors
8.3.2: Device Structures of Hot Carrier Solar Cells
8.3.3: Hot Carrier Solar Cells Based on Metal– Insulator–Metal and Metal–Semiconductor Structures
8.3.4: Hot Carrier Solar Cells Based on QDs
8.4: Multiple Exciton Generation or Downconversion
8.4.1: Physical Background of Multiple Exciton Generation
8.4.2: Multiple Exciton Generation in QDs
8.4.3: Solar Cell Architectures with Multiple Exciton Process
8.5: Upconversion
8.5.1: Principle of Spectral Upconversion
8.5.2: Solar Cells with a Spectral Upconverter
8.5.3: An a-Si:H Thin-Film Solar Cell Attached with an Upconverter
8.6: Plasmonic Solar Cells
8.6.1: The Plasmon Effect
8.6.2: Working Principle of Plasmonic Solar Cells
8.6.3: A Plasmonic Solar Cell with the NaYF4:(Er3+, Yb3+) Upconverter
8.7: Intermediate Band Solar Cells
8.7.1: Working Principle of Intermediate Band Solar Cells
8.7.2: Methods of Introducing Intermediate Bands
8.7.3: Some Intermediate Band Solar Cells
Index
