Article
Energy & Fuels
Benjamin E. Sartor, Jason A. Rohr, Jason Lipton, Joel N. Duenow, Adam Goad, Juan Meng, Matthew O. Reese, Andre D. Taylor
Summary: It is shown that Ti3C2Tx MXene films processed from an aqueous colloidal dispersion can serve as highly efficient hole contact materials for CdTe solar cells, resulting in high power-conversion efficiencies. The role of Schottky barrier formation in Ti3C2Tx-contacted CdTe devices is investigated, and potential pathways for the future development of this material combination are elucidated.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Di Wu, Zhiheng Mo, Yanbing Han, Pei Lin, Zhifeng Shi, Xu Chen, Yongtao Tian, Xin Jian Li, Huiyu Yuan, Yuen Hong Tsang
Summary: The study successfully fabricated a PdSe2/CdTe mixed-dimensional van der Waals heterojunction capable of detecting long-wave infrared radiation at room temperature. The device has a fast response rate, high responsivity, and reasonable specific detectivity, making it suitable for detecting short pulse infrared signals and highly sensitive to polarized infrared light signals.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2021)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Zhichao Li, Dachun Liu, Guozheng Zha, Wenlong Jiang, Daxin Huang, Baoqiang Xu, Bin Yang
Summary: A clean and efficient method was proposed to extract tellurium and copper from copper telluride slag. The process involved soda smelting for separating Cu and Te, leaching and precipitation to prepare TeO2, and vacuum carbothermal reduction for the recovery of elemental Te. The method achieved a comprehensive tellurium recovery rate exceeding 90% with a purity of 99.83%, while the converted copper oxide could be further extracted through copper smelting. This method is of profound significance for the profitability and development of the tellurium metallurgical industry.
JOURNAL OF SUSTAINABLE METALLURGY
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Alireza Mahmoudi, Sina Shakibania, Mohammad Mokmeli, Fereshteh Rashchi, Hesam Yazdi Karimi
Summary: This research investigated a sustainable recovery method of tellurium from copper anode slime obtained from Iran. The best leaching route for selective dissolution of tellurium and copper was found to be under pressure at 8 bar and 120 degrees C. The cementation method proved the possibility of tellurium ion reduction solely with metallic copper, leading to successful extraction of tellurium.
JOURNAL OF SUSTAINABLE METALLURGY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Qinghai Zhu, Yexin Chen, Tianyi Chen, Lijian Zuo, Yijun Sun, Rong Wang, Mingsheng Xu
Summary: This study designs high-performance organic/WS2 heterostructure photodetectors by tailoring the charge transfer effect, achieving high responsivity and specific detectivity under incident light of 808 nm.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Zhichao Li, Juhai Deng, Dachun Liu, Wenlong Jiang, Guozheng Zha, Daxin Huang, Pan Deng, Baole Li
Summary: A clean and efficient method for the separation and extraction of tellurium from copper telluride slag was proposed using directional sulfurization-vacuum distillation. The experimental results showed high tellurium extraction efficiency and purity, and the method was environmentally friendly.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2022)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Anthony P. Nicholson, Akash Shah, Ramesh Pandey, Amit H. Munshi, James Sites, Walajabad Sampath
Summary: This study employs a synergistic approach combining first-principles atomistic modeling with numerical device simulations to investigate the role of heterointerfaces in metal-chalcogenide-based photovoltaic technologies. The atomic-scale study of two interfaces in cadmium-telluride-based thin-film solar cells reveals the mechanisms contributing to device performance variations. Computational results show contrasting electronic structures and charge transport behavior between the Schottky barrier forming Al/CdTe interface and the Type I Te/CdTe heterojunction. The cadmium termination exhibits greater band bending features compared to the tellurium termination, leading to a 3.6% higher photovoltaic conversion efficiency for the cadmium termination. This research highlights the importance of atomic-scale interfacial properties for the performance of cadmium telluride solar cells.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2022)
Review
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Moorthy Krishnamachari, Syama Lenus, K. Pradeeswari, R. Arun Pandian, Mohanraj Kumar, Jih-Hsing Chang, Senthil Pandian Muthu, Ramasamy Perumalsamy, Zhengfei Dai, Paranthaman Vijayakumar
Summary: Fundamental structural modification techniques of nanomaterials can be used to control the electronic structure of active sites and improve electrocatalytic activities. Appropriate surface reconstruction is necessary to overcome large electrochemical overpotential. Understanding fundamental structural modification mechanisms, such as the Janus structure, spillover effect, d-band center shift theory, and interfacial coupling, is essential. The Mott-Schottky (M-S) effect is a fundamental interface and valence engineering strategy that has gained interest recently due to its ability to enable mass transport, regulate the density of states, enable rapid electron transfer via band bending, and create a synergistic effect at the metal-semiconductor interface.
ACS APPLIED NANO MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Wen Liu, Vikram S. Turkani, Vahid Akhavan, Brian A. Korgel
Summary: The study successfully utilized the microsecond time-scale photonic lift-off (PLO) process to fabricate mechanically flexible photovoltaic devices with a total thickness of less than 20 μm, demonstrating the applicability of PLO technique for processing extremely thin, mechanically flexible electronic and optoelectronic devices.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2021)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Alina Nitsenko, Xeniya Linnik, Valeriy Volodin, Farkhat Tuleutay, Nurila Burabaeva, Sergey Trebukhov, Galiya Ruzakhunova
Summary: The study demonstrates that copper telluride can be oxidized to the most stable tellurate at low temperatures during the oxidation-distillate roasting process. By controlling parameters such as temperature, oxidant flow rate, and time, a high extraction rate and stable products can be achieved.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Wenjian Zhang, Xukun Wang, Ziye Fan, Juan Li, Guo Liu, Xueliang Lv, Bingsheng Li, Jinyuan Zhou, Erqing Xie, Zhenxing Zhang
Summary: A CuO nanotube/In2S3 nanosheet p/n heterostructure gas sensor was designed with a high response to H2S gas. The sensor showed a switching effect of the response based on H2S concentration, with a surface-type adsorption-desorption process dominating at low concentrations and a superior response at high concentrations. This improvement in response was attributed to the transformed junction from CuO/In2S3 heterojunction to CuS/In2S3 Schottky junction.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2021)
Article
Physics, Condensed Matter
Muhammet Ferit Sahin, Enis Tasci, Mustafa Emrullahoglu, Halil Gokce, Nihat Tugluoglu, Serkan Eymur
Summary: A pi-conjugated BOD-Dim compound has been synthesized and characterized, showing great potential as a photosensor for optoelectronic device applications. The study investigated the electrical and photovoltaic parameters of the compound, confirming its photovoltaic behavior.
PHYSICA B-CONDENSED MATTER
(2021)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Adam B. Phillips, Jared D. Friedl, Philip Ottinger, Steven L. Carter, Zhaoning Song, Abasi Abudulimu, Ebin Bastola, Deng-Bing Li, Yanfa Yan, Randy J. Ellingson, Michael J. Heben
Summary: Numerical modeling is used to investigate the performance of bifacial thin film solar cells under front, back, and simultaneous illumination through both interfaces. It is found that downward band bending near the back interface is reduced under low carrier concentration conditions, but still affects minority carrier distribution at relatively high doping conditions. The power generated under bifacial illumination exceeds the sum of power from solely front or back illumination, and the performance is independent of the angle of light entering the back interface. However, under real-world albedo conditions, significant loss in frontside power generation is difficult to overcome with back illumination.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Hongwei Xu, Taikyu Kim, HeeSung Han, Min Jae Kim, Jae Seok Hur, Cheol Hee Choi, Joon-Hyuk Chang, Jae Kyeong Jeong
Summary: Broadband spectral detection from ultraviolet to infrared is a technological challenge for high-performance photodetection materials. In this study, a heterostructure composed of tellurium oxide and InGaSnO was successfully stacked, resulting in superior photoelectric characteristics. This heterostructure has potential applications in designing wide band optoelectronic devices with high sensitivity, flexibility, and stability.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Samantha M. Harvey, Daniel W. Houck, Wen Liu, Yuzi Liu, David J. Gosztola, Brian A. Korgel, Michael R. Wasielewski, Richard D. Schaller
Summary: CuInSe2 nanocrystals with tunable near-infrared bandgaps show potential for photovoltaic applications and as substitutes for toxic semiconductor compositions. The presence of ligands during synthesis introduces nonradiative electronic states, impacting carrier dynamics and leading to low photoluminescence quantum yields. Carrier lifetimes are influenced by the type of ligand, with rapid trapping observed in certain cases.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Lauren B. Fullmer, Ryan H. Mansergh, Lev N. Zakharov, Douglas A. Keszler, May Nyman
CRYSTAL GROWTH & DESIGN
(2015)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
John M. McGlone, Kristopher R. Olsen, William F. Stickle, James E. Abbott, Roberto A. Pugliese, Greg S. Long, Douglas A. Keszler, John F. Wager
JOURNAL OF ALLOYS AND COMPOUNDS
(2015)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Sara Goberna-Ferron, Deok-Hie Park, Jenn M. Amador, Douglas A. Keszler, May Nyman
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2016)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Ryan H. Mansergh, Lauren B. Fullmer, Deok-Hie Park, May Nyman, Douglas A. Keszler
CHEMISTRY OF MATERIALS
(2016)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Nishit M. Murari, Ryan H. Mansergh, Yu Huang, Matthew G. Kast, Douglas A. Keszler, John F. Conley
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS RESEARCH
(2016)
Article
Chemistry, Inorganic & Nuclear
Cory K. Perkins, Ryan H. Mansergh, Deok-Hie Park, Charith E. Nanayakkara, Juan C. Ramos, Shawn R. Decker, Yu Huang, Yves J. Chabal, Douglas A. Keszler
SOLID STATE SCIENCES
(2016)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Bethany E. Matthews, Aaron M. Holder, Laura T. Schelhas, Sebastian Siol, James W. May, Michael R. Forkner, Derek Vigil-Fowler, Michael F. Toney, John D. Perkins, Brian P. Gorman, Andriy Zakutayev, Stephan Lany, Janet Tate
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY A
(2017)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Aaron M. Holder, Sebastian Siol, Paul F. Ndione, Haowei Peng, Ann M. Deml, Bethany E. Matthews, Laura T. Schelhas, Michael F. Toney, Roy G. Gordon, William Tumas, John D. Perkins, David S. Ginley, Brian P. Gorman, Janet Tate, Andriy Zakutayev, Stephan Lany
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
James E. S. Haggerty, Laura T. Schelhas, Daniil A. Kitchaev, John S. Mangum, Lauren M. Garten, Wenhao Sun, Kevin H. Stone, John D. Perkins, Michael F. Toney, Gerbrand Ceder, David S. Ginley, Brian P. Gorman, Janet Tate
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2017)
Article
Materials Science, Ceramics
John S. Mangum, Okan Agirseven, James E. S. Haggerty, John D. Perkins, Laura T. Schelhas, Daniil A. Kitchaev, Lauren M. Garten, David S. Ginley, Michael F. Toney, Janet Tate, Brian P. Gorman
JOURNAL OF NON-CRYSTALLINE SOLIDS
(2019)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Wenhao Sun, Christopher J. Bartel, Elisabetta Arca, Sage R. Bauers, Bethany Matthews, Bernardo Orvananos, Bor-Rong Chen, Michael F. Toney, Laura T. Schelhas, William Tumas, Janet Tate, Andriy Zakutayev, Stephan Lany, Aaron M. Holder, Gerbrand Ceder
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
O. Agirseven, D. T. Rivella, J. E. S. Haggerty, P. O. Berry, K. Diffendaffer, A. Patterson, J. Kreb, J. S. Mangum, B. P. Gorman, J. D. Perkins, B. R. Chen, L. T. Schelhas, J. Tate
Article
Physics, Applied
Yanbing Han, Ryan Trottier, Sebastian Siol, Bethany Matthews, Matthew Young, Charles B. Musgrave, Stephan Lany, Janet Tate, Qun Zhang, Aaron M. Holder, Andriy Zakutayev
PHYSICAL REVIEW APPLIED
(2020)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Okan Agirseven, Pritha Biswas, Janet Tate
Summary: This study investigates the isothermal amorphous-to-crystalline transition of TiO2 thin films deposited by reactive RF magnetron sputtering using in-situ optical microscopy. The crystalline fraction as a function of time is analyzed to extract model parameters. The results show that the growth of anatase is 2-dimensional with a constant nucleation rate, while brookite and rutile exhibit higher Avrami exponents due to an increasing nucleation rate. Furthermore, the number of crystallization centers per unit area is highest for rutile, followed by brookite and anatase. The different crystal phases also exhibit distinct morphological features.
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS RESEARCH
(2022)
Meeting Abstract
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Janet Tate
ABSTRACTS OF PAPERS OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2017)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Shahriyar Safat Dipta, Md Habibur Rahaman, Walia Binte Tarique, Ashraful Hossain Howlader, Ayush Pratik, John A. Stride, Ashraf Uddin
Summary: Implementing a double-sided passivation approach can enhance the performance of n-i-p structured PSCs and improve the stability and photovoltaic properties of the cells.
SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS
(2024)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Daniel Ourinson, Andreas Brand, Andreas Lorenz, Marwan Dhamrin, Sebastian Tepner, Michael Linse, Nathalie Goettlicher, Kosuke Tsuji, Jonas D. Huyeng, Florian Clement
Summary: This work presents two approaches to reduce the amount of silver on the rear side of M2-sized industrial iTOPCon solar cells. The Cu-based approach shows promise with similar power conversion efficiency compared to the conventional approach, while the Al-based approach exhibits some limitations but demonstrates the potential of such type of contact for iTOPCon solar cells.
SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS
(2024)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Abasifreke Ebong, Donald Intal, Sandra Huneycutt, Thad Druffel, Ruvini Dharmadasa, Kevin Elmer, Apolo Nambo
Summary: This study demonstrates the successful metallization of a PERC silicon solar cell using screen-printable copper (Cu) paste. The Cu paste contains antioxidant additives and diffusion inhibitors to prevent oxidation and diffusion of Cu. The Cu-printed cells achieved an efficiency of 19% and showed no Cu diffusion after characterization tests. The long-term stability and effectiveness of the Cu diffusion barrier were also confirmed.
SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS
(2024)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Senami Zogbo, Wilfried Favre, Olivier Bonino, Marie-Estelle Gueunier-Farret
Summary: Measuring specific contact resistivity (pc) is crucial for interface engineering in high efficiency solar cells. The Transfer Length Method (TLM) is commonly used for evaluating layer sheet resistance (Rsheet) and pc, but it is not suitable for metal/Transparent Conductive Oxide (TCO) interface evaluation in silicon heterojunction (SHJ) cells. This study investigates the parameters that restrict current confinement within the TCO, including mid-gap trap density (Dit) at the a-Si:H/c-Si interface and the activation energy (Ea = Ec - EF) variation of a-Si:H contact layers.
SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS
(2024)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Jean-Baptiste Charpentier, Philippe Voarino, Julien Gaume
Summary: The phenomenon of ribbon lengthening in PV modules exposed to thermal cycling is not well explained in the literature. In this study, a three layers model is proposed to explain this effect, and the predictions of the model are validated through finite element method simulations and experiments. The results show that the model predictions are consistent with the indirect measurements, but not with the direct measurements. Additionally, it is inferred that the encapsulant plays a role after the solder failure.
SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS
(2024)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Jean-Baptiste Charpentier, Philippe Voarino, Julien Gaume
Summary: This study investigates the problematic ribbon lengthening observed in PV modules exposed to high amplitude thermal cycling. A simplified system model is proposed and accurate predictions are obtained using the Finite Element Method. The results show that the thickness of the encapsulant has a substantial impact on the lengthening of the ribbons.
SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS
(2024)
Article
Energy & Fuels
S. Catalan-Gomez, E. Martinez Castellano, M. Schwarz, M. Montes Bajo, L. Dorado Vargas, A. Gonzalo, A. Redondo-Cubero, A. Gallego Carro, A. Hierro, J. M. Ulloa
Summary: This study investigates the use of core-shell gallium nanoparticles as functional light scatterers on solar cells. By optimizing the nanoparticle size, the short-circuit current of the solar cells is significantly improved. The underlying physical mechanism is studied through optical measurements and simulations, and a method to reduce the plasmonic effect of the nanoparticles is demonstrated.
SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS
(2024)
Article
Energy & Fuels
M. Gamel, G. Lopez, A. M. Medrano, A. Jimenez, A. Datas, M. Garin, I. Martin
Summary: In this study, a highly reflective ohmic contact to p-type c-Ge material is demonstrated, which can improve the efficiency of thermophotovoltaic devices. The experimental results show that this contact can simultaneously meet the requirements of good back surface passivation, low electrical resistivity, and high reflectivity. Moreover, simulations suggest that implementing these back contacts has the potential to achieve conversion efficiencies comparable to high-efficiency c-Ge TPV cells.
SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS
(2024)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Hongyang Wei, Qing Xu, Dongchu Chen, Min Chen, Menglei Chang, Xiufang Ye
Summary: This study prepared solar selective absorption films based on anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) photonic crystals using a unique electrodeposition method. The Co-Ag electrodeposited film exhibited superior solar selective absorption properties and thermal stability.
SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS
(2024)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Ankit Kumar, Ankit Chauhan, Jordi Llobet, Helder Fonseca, Patricia C. Sousa, Carlos Calaza, Gil Shalev
Summary: This study found that decorating subwavelength arrays with SiO2 quasi-nanolenses (qNL arrays) can enhance the absorption of the solar spectrum. Optical absorption mechanisms in qNL arrays were investigated using near-field scanning optical microscopy (NSOM), revealing that the enhancement is a result of the combination of effective antireflection coating, increased optical interactions between adjacent dielectrics for elevated light trapping, and strong light concentration due to the presence of qNLs.
SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS
(2024)
Article
Energy & Fuels
S. Pingel, T. Wenzel, N. Goettlicher, M. Linse, L. Folcarelli, J. Schube, S. Hoffmann, S. Tepner, Y. C. Lau, J. Huyeng, A. Lorenz, F. Clement
Summary: This study demonstrates the potential to reduce silver consumption in highly efficient SHJ cells through fine-line screen printing using low temperature paste with various screens. The results show that using finer mesh allows for narrower grid fingers and lower resistance, leading to improved cell efficiency. Simulation results indicate that module wire configuration is crucial for reducing silver consumption.
SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS
(2024)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Xibo He, Jun Qiu, Wei Wang, Yicheng Hou, Yong Shuai
Summary: This paper proposes a novel phase change material with high thermal conductivity and stability for fast photo-thermal conversion and storage. The experimental results demonstrate excellent durability and stability of the phase change material, with good performance in thermal conductivity and thermal storage efficiency.
SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS
(2024)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Qingyuan Liu, Lin Wang, Zheng Liu, Guohua Liu
Summary: A new evaporating structure consisting of liquid marble with tunable nanowire array is proposed to enhance solar evaporation. The experiments show that the liquid marble with nanowire array exhibits outstanding evaporation performance, which has significant implications for seawater desalination or wastewater treatment.
SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS
(2024)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Hao Liu, Qiming Liu, Jinpei Liu, Yonggang Zhao, Yingjie Yu, Yue An, Ganghui Wei, Yanzheng Li, Yujun Fu, Junshuai Li, Deyan He
Summary: Moisture in the air is identified as the main cause of performance degradation in organic-inorganic hybrid solar cells. Exposure to air leads to the growth of thin oxide layer on the interface and the formation of silver sulfide, increasing the series resistance and decreasing the fill factor, thus degrading the cell performance.
SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS
(2024)
Article
Energy & Fuels
E. Blanco, P. Martin, M. Dominguez, P. Fernandez-Palacios, I. Lombardero, C. Sanchez-Perez, I. Garcia, C. Algora, M. Gabas
Summary: This study addresses the lack of optical parameters for p-type Ge wafers by determining the complex refractive indices of commercial Ge wafers with varying doping levels. The obtained data successfully reproduces the critical points associated with interband transitions and absorption features below the bandgap. The refractive indices were validated through experimental measurements and solar cell simulations.
SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS
(2024)