Self-assembly as a design tool for the integration of photonic structures into excitonic solar cells

One way to successfully enhance light harvesting of excitonic solar cells is the integration of optical elements that increase the photon path length in the light absorbing layer. Device architectures which incorporate structural order in form of one- or three-dimensional refractive index lattices c...

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Main Authors: Guldin, S, Docampo, P, Hüttner, S, Kohn, P, Stefik, M, Snaith, H, Wiesner, U, Steiner, U
Format: Journal article
Language:English
Published: 2011
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author Guldin, S
Docampo, P
Hüttner, S
Kohn, P
Stefik, M
Snaith, H
Wiesner, U
Steiner, U
author_facet Guldin, S
Docampo, P
Hüttner, S
Kohn, P
Stefik, M
Snaith, H
Wiesner, U
Steiner, U
author_sort Guldin, S
collection OXFORD
description One way to successfully enhance light harvesting of excitonic solar cells is the integration of optical elements that increase the photon path length in the light absorbing layer. Device architectures which incorporate structural order in form of one- or three-dimensional refractive index lattices can lead to the localization of light in specific parts of the spectrum, while retaining the cell's transparency in others. Herein, we present two routes for the integration of photonic crystals (PCs) into dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs). In both cases, the self-assembly of soft matter plays a key role in the fabrication process of the TiO2 electrode. One approach relies on a combination of colloidal self-assembly and the self-assembly of block copolymers, resulting in a double layer dye-sensitized solar cell with increased light absorption from the 3D PC element. An alternative route is based on the fact that the refractive index of the mesoporous layer can be finely tuned by the interplay between block copolymer self-assembly and hydrolytic TiO 2 sol-gel chemistry. Alternating deposition of high and low refractive index layers enables the integration of a 1D PC into a DSC. © 2011 SPIE.
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spelling oxford-uuid:ec026bba-1c61-40c2-91ba-99316933a4b42022-03-27T11:14:14ZSelf-assembly as a design tool for the integration of photonic structures into excitonic solar cellsJournal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:ec026bba-1c61-40c2-91ba-99316933a4b4EnglishSymplectic Elements at Oxford2011Guldin, SDocampo, PHüttner, SKohn, PStefik, MSnaith, HWiesner, USteiner, UOne way to successfully enhance light harvesting of excitonic solar cells is the integration of optical elements that increase the photon path length in the light absorbing layer. Device architectures which incorporate structural order in form of one- or three-dimensional refractive index lattices can lead to the localization of light in specific parts of the spectrum, while retaining the cell's transparency in others. Herein, we present two routes for the integration of photonic crystals (PCs) into dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs). In both cases, the self-assembly of soft matter plays a key role in the fabrication process of the TiO2 electrode. One approach relies on a combination of colloidal self-assembly and the self-assembly of block copolymers, resulting in a double layer dye-sensitized solar cell with increased light absorption from the 3D PC element. An alternative route is based on the fact that the refractive index of the mesoporous layer can be finely tuned by the interplay between block copolymer self-assembly and hydrolytic TiO 2 sol-gel chemistry. Alternating deposition of high and low refractive index layers enables the integration of a 1D PC into a DSC. © 2011 SPIE.
spellingShingle Guldin, S
Docampo, P
Hüttner, S
Kohn, P
Stefik, M
Snaith, H
Wiesner, U
Steiner, U
Self-assembly as a design tool for the integration of photonic structures into excitonic solar cells
title Self-assembly as a design tool for the integration of photonic structures into excitonic solar cells
title_full Self-assembly as a design tool for the integration of photonic structures into excitonic solar cells
title_fullStr Self-assembly as a design tool for the integration of photonic structures into excitonic solar cells
title_full_unstemmed Self-assembly as a design tool for the integration of photonic structures into excitonic solar cells
title_short Self-assembly as a design tool for the integration of photonic structures into excitonic solar cells
title_sort self assembly as a design tool for the integration of photonic structures into excitonic solar cells
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