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Nano Research 2021, 14(5): 1488-1494 https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-020-3207-9
Research Article | Open Access | Issue | Published: 19 November 2020

Exciton recycling via InP quantum dot funnels for luminescent solar concentrators

Show Author's Information Houman Bahmani Jalali1,§,  Sadra Sadeghi2,§,  Isinsu Baylam3,4,  Mertcan Han5,  Cleva W. Ow-Yang6,  Alphan Sennaroglu3,4,  Sedat Nizamoglu1,2,5( )
Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and Engineering, Koç University, Istanbul 34450, Turkey
Graduate School of Material Science and Engineering, Koç University, Istanbul 34450, Turkey
Koç University Surface Science and Technology Center (KUYTAM), Koç University, Istanbul 34450, Turkey
Laser Research Laboratory, Koç University, Istanbul 34450, Turkey
Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Koç University, Istanbul 34450, Turkey
Department of Material Science and Nano Engineering, Sabanci University, Istanbul 34956, Turkey
Keywords:
quantum dot, energy transfer, indium phosphide, light harvesting, luminescent solar concentrator, luminescent solar concentrators (LSC)
Topics:
CopperEnergy gapHeavy metalsIIIIndium phosphideInfrared devices NanocrystalsPhotoluminescenceQuantum yieldSemiconducting indium phosphide Semiconductor quantum dotsSol-cellsSolar concentratorsSolar energyV semiconductorsZinc compounds
Cite this article:
Jalali HB, Sadeghi S, Baylam I, et al. Exciton recycling via InP quantum dot funnels for luminescent solar concentrators. Nano Research, 2021, 14(5): 1488-1494. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-020-3207-9
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Abstract Full text Electronic supplementary material About this article

Luminescent solar concentrators (LSC) absorb large-area solar radiation and guide down-converted emission to solar cells for electricity production. Quantum dots (QDs) have been widely engineered at device and quantum dot levels for LSCs. Here, we demonstrate cascaded energy transfer and exciton recycling at nanoassembly level for LSCs. The graded structure composed of different sized toxic-heavy-metal-free InP/ZnS core/shell QDs incorporated on copper doped InP QDs, facilitating exciton routing toward narrow band gap QDs at a high nonradiative energy transfer efficiency of 66%. At the final stage of non-radiative energy transfer, the photogenerated holes make ultrafast electronic transitions to copper-induced mid-gap states for radiative recombination in the near-infrared. The exciton recycling facilitates a photoluminescence quantum yield increase of 34% and 61% in comparison with semi-graded and ungraded energy profiles, respectively. Thanks to the suppressed reabsorption and enhanced photoluminescence quantum yield, the graded LSC achieved an optical quantum efficiency of 22.2%. Hence, engineering at nanoassembly level combined with nonradiative energy transfer and exciton funneling offer promise for efficient solar energy harvesting.


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About this article

Exciton recycling via InP quantum dot funnels for luminescent solar concentrators

Show Author's information Houman Bahmani Jalali1,§, Sadra Sadeghi2,§, Isinsu Baylam3,4, Mertcan Han5, Cleva W. Ow-Yang6, Alphan Sennaroglu3,4, Sedat Nizamoglu1,2,5( )
Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and Engineering, Koç University, Istanbul 34450, Turkey
Graduate School of Material Science and Engineering, Koç University, Istanbul 34450, Turkey
Koç University Surface Science and Technology Center (KUYTAM), Koç University, Istanbul 34450, Turkey
Laser Research Laboratory, Koç University, Istanbul 34450, Turkey
Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Koç University, Istanbul 34450, Turkey
Department of Material Science and Nano Engineering, Sabanci University, Istanbul 34956, Turkey

Abstract

Luminescent solar concentrators (LSC) absorb large-area solar radiation and guide down-converted emission to solar cells for electricity production. Quantum dots (QDs) have been widely engineered at device and quantum dot levels for LSCs. Here, we demonstrate cascaded energy transfer and exciton recycling at nanoassembly level for LSCs. The graded structure composed of different sized toxic-heavy-metal-free InP/ZnS core/shell QDs incorporated on copper doped InP QDs, facilitating exciton routing toward narrow band gap QDs at a high nonradiative energy transfer efficiency of 66%. At the final stage of non-radiative energy transfer, the photogenerated holes make ultrafast electronic transitions to copper-induced mid-gap states for radiative recombination in the near-infrared. The exciton recycling facilitates a photoluminescence quantum yield increase of 34% and 61% in comparison with semi-graded and ungraded energy profiles, respectively. Thanks to the suppressed reabsorption and enhanced photoluminescence quantum yield, the graded LSC achieved an optical quantum efficiency of 22.2%. Hence, engineering at nanoassembly level combined with nonradiative energy transfer and exciton funneling offer promise for efficient solar energy harvesting.

Keywords: quantum dot, energy transfer, indium phosphide, light harvesting, luminescent solar concentrator, luminescent solar concentrators (LSC)

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Received: 06 August 2020
Revised: 20 October 2020
Accepted: 22 October 2020
Published: 19 November 2020
Issue date: May 2021

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© The Author(s) 2020

Acknowledgements

This project has received funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme (grant agreement no. 639846).

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