Hybrid Solar Cells Using HgTe Nanocrystals and Nanoporous TiO₂ Electrodes

Abstract

Abstract HgTe nanocrystals are demonstrated to increase the photon‐harvesting efficiency of hybrid solar cells over a broad spectral region between 350 and 1500 nm. Devices combining two solar cell concepts, a solid‐state nanocrystal‐sensitized solar cell and a nanocrystal/polymer‐blend solar cell, are described. These devices give incident photon to current efficiencies up to 10 % at around 550 nm monochromatic irradiation and short‐circuit current densities of 2 mA cm –2 under simulated AM1.5 (100 mW cm –2 ) illumination (AM: air mass).