title: High performance of PbSe/PbS core/shell quantum dot heterojunction solar cells: short circuit current enhancement without the loss of open circuit voltage by shell thickness control.
abstract: We fabricated heterojunction solar cells with PbSe/PbS core shell quantum dots and studied the precisely controlled PbS shell thickness dependency in terms of optical properties, electronic structure, and solar cell performances. When the PbS shell thickness increases, the short circuit current density (JSC) increases from 6.4 to 11.8 mA cm(-2) and the fill factor (FF) enhances from 30 to 49% while the open circuit voltage (VOC) remains unchanged at 0.46 V even with the decreased effective band gap. We found that the Fermi level and the valence band maximum level remain unchanged in both the PbSe core and PbSe/PbS core/shell with a less than 1 nm thick PbS shell as probed via ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS). The PbS shell reduces their surface trap density as confirmed by relative quantum yield measurements. Consequently, PbS shell formation on the PbSe core mitigates the trade-off relationship between the open circuit voltage and the short circuit current density. Finally, under the optimized conditions, the PbSe core with a 0.9 nm thick shell yielded a power conversion efficiency of 6.5% under AM 1.5.
authors.affiliation: Nano-Mechanical Systems Research Division, Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials (KIMM), Daejeon, 305-343, Republic of Korea. sjeong@kimm.re.kr.
authors.forename: Hyekyoung
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Jung Hoon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Jihoon
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.forename: Xuan Dung
authors.initials: XD
authors.lastname: Mai
authors.forename: Sungwoo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sohee
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jeong