量子点在太阳能转化过程中的应用

Quantum Dots for Solar Energy Conversion

利用清洁可再生的太阳能是人类从根本上解决能源危机和化石燃料使用所带来环境污染问题的最有效的途径之一,而将光能转变为电能的太阳能电池是人类利用太阳能的主要途径。当前已经出现了多种新的用于提高太阳能电池的光电转化效率以及降低太阳能电池成本的技术。其中,利用量子点半导体作为吸光材料直接用于光电转化或者敏化低成本的金属氧化物间接用于太阳能的转化,是相对新并且有前景的技术之一。针对基于量子点的太阳能电池的研究在过去十年中已经取得了显著的成果,文中在对基于量子点的太阳能电池基本原理作简要介绍的基础上,从几个特殊例子出发介绍了相关研究工作的最新进展。

Solar energy conversion is becoming increasingly more important given the growing demand for energy and detrimental en- vironmental effect from the use of fossil fuels. Various new technologies have been under development for improving the efficienciy and/or to lower the cost of solar cells. One relatively new and exciting possibility is to use semiconductor quantum dots （QDs） as light absorbers for photovoltaics （PV） directly or to sensitize low cost metal oxides for solar enrgy conversion. Encouraging progress has been made in the last decade. A biref discussion of the basic principles of QD-based solar cells and highlight recent progress with seved specific examples are provided.