title: Ytterbium-erbium ion doped strontium molybdate (SrMoO4): synthesis, characterization, photophysical properties and application in solar cells.
abstract: In this work, ytterbium-erbium co-doped strontium molybdate (SrMoO4, SMO) nanophosphors (NPs), denoted as SMO:Yb/Er, have been successfully prepared. These NPs were then incorporated into TiO2acceptor films in hybrid solar cells to enhance light harvesting by virtue of an up-conversion process where low energy photons can be converted into high energy photons through multi-photon processes. The results showed that the SMO:Yb/Er single crystal NPs are capable of turning near infrared photons into visible ones that can be easily captured by poly(thieno[3,4-b]-thiophene/benzodithiophene) (PTB7). The results indicate that the electron transfer rate at the PTB7/TiO2donor/acceptor interface has been boosted sharply from 0.59 to 1.35 × 109s-1. Consequently, a hybrid solar cell based on SMO:Yb/Er NP-doped TiO2/PTB7 delivers a high power conversion efficiency of up to 3.61%, thus leading to an efficiency enhancement of around 28% as compared to that of the neat PTB7/TiO2counterpart (2.81%). This work demonstrates a promising approach to engineering efficient photovoltaic devices by taking advantage of the versatility of rare-earth ion doped oxides that function by modifying light in the solar spectrum.
authors.affiliation: School of Chemical Engineering, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK.
authors.forename: Weifu
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
authors.forename: Zihan
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: School of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Junli
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Lingnan Normal College, Zhanjiang 524048, P. R. China. nanorainbows@163.com.
authors.forename: Dongyu
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Lingnan Normal College, Zhanjiang 524048, P. R. China. nanorainbows@163.com.
authors.forename: Zhen
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Jiangxi Engineering Laboratory for Optoelectronics Testing Technology, Nanchang Hangkong University, Nanchang, 330063, P. R. China. qhli@hqu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Xiao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.affiliation: Jiangxi Engineering Laboratory for Optoelectronics Testing Technology, Nanchang Hangkong University, Nanchang, 330063, P. R. China. qhli@hqu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Qin
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Jiangxi Engineering Laboratory for Optoelectronics Testing Technology, Nanchang Hangkong University, Nanchang, 330063, P. R. China. qhli@hqu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Jiangxi Engineering Laboratory for Optoelectronics Testing Technology, Nanchang Hangkong University, Nanchang, 330063, P. R. China. qhli@hqu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Qinghua
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Li