Labelle, Andre J. Thon, Susanna M. Kim, Jin Young Lan, Xinzheng Zhitomirsky, David Kemp, Kyle W. Sargent, Edward H. 2024-01-20T07:04:00Z 2024-01-20T07:04:00Z 2021-09-05 2015-05 1936-0851 https://pubs.kist.re.kr/handle/201004/125504 Colloidal quantum dots (CQD) are an attractive thin-film material for photovoltaic applications due to low material costs, ease of fabrication, and size-tunable band gap. Unfortunately, today they suffer from a compromise between light absorption and photocarrier extraction, a fact that currently prevents the complete harvest of incoming above-band-gap solar photons. We have investigated the use of structured substrates and/or electrodes to increase the effective light path through the active material and found that these designs require highly conformal application of the light-absorbing films to achieve the greatest enhancement. This conformality requirement derives from the need for maximal absorption enhancement combined with shortest-distance charge transport. Here we report on a means of processing highly conformal layer-by-layer deposited CQD absorber films onto microstructured, light-recycling electrodes. Specifically, we engineer surface hydrophilicity to achieve conformal deposition of upper layers atop underlying ones. We show that only with the application of conformal coating can we achieve optimal quantum efficiency and enhanced power conversion efficiency in structured-electrode CQD cells. English AMER CHEMICAL SOC ABSORPTION ENHANCEMENT RECOMBINATION ELECTRODES Conformal Fabrication of Colloidal Quantum Dot Solids for Optically Enhanced Photovoltaics Article 10.1021/acsnano.5b01296 1 ACS NANO, v.9, no.5, pp.5447 - 5453 ACS NANO 9 5 5447 5453 scie scopus 000355383000081 2-s2.0-84930665767 Chemistry, Multidisciplinary Chemistry, Physical Nanoscience & Nanotechnology Materials Science, Multidisciplinary Chemistry Science & Technology - Other Topics Materials Science Article ABSORPTION ENHANCEMENT RECOMBINATION ELECTRODES colloidal quantum dots photovoltaics solution-processed thin film optically enhanced solar cells conformal thin film structured electrodes