The most efficient colloidal quantum dot solar cell developed at the University of Toronto, Canada

He was led by professors Jiang Tang and Ted Sargent of the University of Toronto, Canada. The international scientific research team including the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology of Saudi Arabia and the researcher of the University of Pennsylvania at the United States used inorganic ligands to replace organic molecules. To encapsulate quantum dots and passivate their surface (not to chemically react with Other materials), colloidal quantum dots (CQD) solar cells have been developed with the highest conversion efficiency (up to 6%) to date. This study was published in the recent issue of Nature Materials.

Light-absorbing nanoparticle quantum dots are nanoscale semiconductors that capture light and convert it into energy, and can be used to make solar cells that are cheaper and more durable than silicon-based solar cells. To solve the problem of closer integration of quantum dots and increase conversion efficiency, scholars have used the ligands of sub-nanometer atoms to wrap a single layer of atoms around each quantum dot, making the quantum dots a very tight solid to save space. , and remove charge traps through tight packaging - where electrons fall into place.

Quantum dots are tightly packed together and eliminate charge traps, allowing the electrons to pass through the solar cell quickly and smoothly. The laboratory assigned by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory confirmed that the newly developed colloidal quantum dot solar cell not only reached the highest current, but also achieved a record of overall energy conversion efficiency of 6%. The University of Toronto has signed a technology licensing agreement with the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia to promote the global commercialization of this technology.