Other Types of Solar Cells Containing Colloidally Prepared Nanocrystals

Abstract

Apart from the polymer/nanocrystal hybrid solar cells and solar cells with nanocrystal-based inorganic absorber layers discussed in the previous chapters, there exist a number of other approaches to incorporate colloidally prepared nanocrystals into photovoltaic devices. This chapter discusses selected alternative concepts, where the nanocrystals fulfill quite different functions. One field of research focusses on bulk heterojunction solar cells where the absorber layer is composed of three material components, e.g., conductive polymer, fullerene derivatives, and colloidal nanocrystals. A second topic concerns the usage of colloidal semiconductor nanoparticles with a wide band gap in order to realize solution-producible interlayers in organic solar cells. A third important research field is so-called quantum dot-sensitized solar cells, which are similar to dyesensitized solar cells with the organic dye replaced by inorganic nanocrystals. Finally, the usage of metal nanoparticles for enhancing light absorption in organic solar cells by the exploitation of plasmonic effects will be discussed. © Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2014.