Low-dimensional materials for photovoltaic application

The photovoltaic(PV)market is currently dominated by silicon based solar cells.However technological diversification is essential to promote competition,which is the driving force for technological growth.Historically,the choice of PV materials has been limited to the three-dimensional(3D)compounds with a high crystal symmetry and direct band gap.However,to meet the strict demands for sustainable PV applications,material space has been expanded beyond 3D compounds.In this perspective we discuss the potential of low-dimensional materials(2D,1D)for application in PVs.We present unique features of low-dimensional materials in context of their suitability in the solar cells.The band gap,absorption,carrier dynamics,mobility,defects,surface states and growth kinetics are discussed and compared to 3D counterparts,providing a comprehensive view of prospects of low-dimensional materials.Structural dimensionality leads to a highly anisotropic carrier transport,complex defect chemistry and peculiar growth dynamics.By providing fundamental insights into these challenges we aim to deepen the understanding of low-dimensional materials and expand the scope of their application.Finally,we discuss the current research status and development trend of solar cell devices made of low-dimensional materials.

Rapid thermal evaporation for cadmium selenide thin-film solar cells

Cadmium selenide(CdSe)belongs to the binary II-VI group semiconductor with a direct bandgap of~1.7 eV.The suitable bandgap,high stability,and low manufacturing cost make CdSe an extraordinary candidate as the top cell material in silicon-based tandem solar cells.However,only a few studies have focused on CdSe thin-film solar cells in the past decades.With the advantages of a high deposition rate(~2µm/min)and high uniformity,rapid thermal evaporation(RTE)was used to maximize the use efficiency of CdSe source material.A stable and pure hexagonal phase CdSe thin film with a large grain size was achieved.The CdSe film demonstrated a 1.72 eV bandgap,narrow photoluminescence peak,and fast photoresponse.With the optimal device structure and film thickness,we finally achieved a preliminary efficiency of 1.88%for CdSe thin-film solar cells,suggesting the applicability of CdSe thin-film solar cells.