title: Effect of solvent environment on colloidal-quantum-dot solar-cell manufacturability and performance.
abstract: The absorbing layer in state-of-the-art colloidal quantum-dot solar cells is fabricated using a tedious layer-by-layer process repeated ten times. It is now shown that methanol, a common exchange solvent, is the main culprit, as extended exposure leaches off the surface halide passivant, creating carrier trap states. Use of a high-dipole-moment aprotic solvent eliminates this problem and is shown to produce state-of-the-art devices in far fewer steps.
authors.affiliation: Division of Physical Sciences and Engineering, Solar and Photovoltaic Engineering Research Center (SPERC), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Ahmad R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Kirmani
authors.forename: Graham H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Carey
authors.forename: Maged
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abdelsamie
authors.forename: Buyi
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Dongkyu
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cha
authors.forename: Lisa R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Rollny
authors.forename: Xiaoyu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.forename: Edward H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Sargent
authors.forename: Aram
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Amassian
mesh_terms: D000097:Acetonitriles / Q000737:chemistry; D003102:Colloids; D004553:Electric Conductivity; D011211:Electric Power Supplies; D000432:Methanol / Q000737:chemistry; D045663:Quantum Dots / Q000737:chemistry*; D012993:Solar Energy; D012997:Solvents / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000097:Acetonitriles; D003102:Colloids; D012997:Solvents; D000432:Methanol; C032159:acetonitrile
keywords: colloidal quantum dots; ligand exchange; roll-to-roll processing; thin films