In a major stride towards enhancing solar energy technology, a research team from the Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) has unveiled a groundbreaking quantum dot (QD) solar cell, marking a significant advancement towards the commercialization of next-generation solar cells.
The team, led by Professor Sung-Yeon Jang from the School of Energy and Chemical Engineering at UNIST, has achieved an impressive 18.1% efficiency in QD solar cells, representing the highest efficiency among quantum dot solar cells recognized by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in the United States.
Professor Jang said, "Our developed technology has achieved an impressive 18.1% efficiency in QD solar cells. This remarkable achievement represents the highest efficiency among quantum dot solar cells recognized by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in the United States."
The research team's innovation involves a novel ligand exchange technique, enabling the synthesis of organic cation-based perovskite quantum dots (PQDs). This technique ensures exceptional stability while suppressing internal defects in the photoactive layer of solar cells. Sang-Hak Lee, the first author of the study, emphasized the significance of the breakthrough by stating, "This study presents a new direction for the ligand exchange method in organic PQDs, serving as a catalyst to revolutionize the field of QD solar cell material research in the future."
QDs, semiconducting nanocrystals with dimensions ranging from several to tens of nanometers, have garnered significant attention due to their outstanding photoelectric properties. The team's achievement in increasing the efficiency of organic PQDs from 13% to 18.1% using the ligand exchange strategy is a significant leap for the practical application of QDs in solar cells. Moreover, these solar cells demonstrate exceptional stability, maintaining their performance even after long-term storage for over two years.
"This study presents a new direction for the ligand exchange method in organic PQDs, serving as a catalyst to revolutionize the field of QD solar cell material research in the future," commented Professor Jang.
