Super-Resolution Imaging of Charge Carrier Recombination and Transport in Ultrathin Liquid Junction Photovoltaics

Abstract

The U.S. Air Force requires on-demand, grid-independent energy solutions to enable warfighters, expand operational effectiveness, and enhance national security. Conventional photovoltaic modules are too bulky for rapid deployment to facilities in resource-scarce locations. One solution is to use photovoltaic devices made of two-dimensional (2D) semiconductor nanosheets, which represent the ultimate miniaturization limit for lightweight and portable photovoltaics. Ultrathin photovoltaic technology could transform the way the Air Force produces energy. However, there is a growing consensus in the electronics research community that surface defect sites limit the solar energy conversion efficiency of ultrathin photovoltaics. The overall objective of this research is to develop a molecular-level understanding of how defect sites impact the overall solar energy conversion efficiency of nanosheet photovoltaics. Our hypothesis is that the presence of surface defects will influence charge carrier recombination and/or transport behavior. The general approach to test this hypothesis is to image directly charge carrier recombination and transport with nanometer spatial resolution in model liquid junction photovoltaics.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Nov 03, 2022
Accession Number
AD1185097

Entities

People

  • Justin B Sambur

Organizations

  • Colorado State University

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Advanced Electronics
  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Air Force Research Laboratories
  • Charge Carriers
  • Chemical Reactions
  • Chemistry
  • Electronics Laboratories
  • Energy Storage
  • Monomolecular Films
  • Nanoparticles
  • Optical Properties
  • Photoelectrochemical Cells
  • Quantum Efficiency
  • Scientific Research
  • Semiconductors
  • Solar Cells
  • Solar Energy
  • Two Dimensional
  • Two-Dimensional Materials

Readers

  • Energy Conservation and Renewable Energy Engineering.
  • Nanoscale Plasmonic Nanotechnology
  • Quantum Dot Semiconductor Device Photonics and Graphene Optoelectronic Materials and THz Physics.

Technology Areas

  • Microelectronics