Abstract
Infrared photovoltaic cells (IRPCs) have attracted considerable attention for potential applications in wireless optical power transfer (WOPT) systems. As an efficient fiber-integrated WOPT system typically uses a 1550 nm laser beam, it is essential to tune the peak conversion efficiency of IRPCs to this wavelength. However, IRPCs based on lead sulfide (PbS) colloidal quantum dots (CQDs) with an excitonic peak of 1550 nm exhibit low short circuit current (Jsc) due to insufficient absorption under monochromatic light illumination. Here, we propose comprehensive optical engineering to optimize the device structure of IRPCs based on PbS CQDs, for 1550 nm WOPT systems. The absorption by the device is enhanced by improving the transmittance of tin-doped indium oxide (ITO) in the infrared region and by utilizing the optical resonance effect in the device. Therefore, the optimized device exhibited a high short circuit current density of 37.65 mA/cm2 under 1 sun (AM 1.5G) solar illumination and 11.91 mA/cm2 under 1550 nm illumination 17.3 mW/cm2. Furthermore, the champion device achieved a record high power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 7.17% under 1 sun illumination and 10.29% under 1550 nm illumination. The PbS CQDs IRPCs under 1550 nm illumination can even light up a liquid crystal display (LCD), demonstrating application prospects in the future.
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1 Introduction
Infrared photovoltaic cells (IRPCs) are attracting interests due to their potential applications in wireless optical power transfer (WOPT) systems, which converts the infrared laser light into electric energy (Fig. 1a and b) [1, 2]. With the increasing potential to realize long-range wireless power transfer [2,3,4,5], WOPT technology has shown great application prospects in chargers of portable electronic devices [6], sensors in the Internet of Things [7], as well as devices in industrial environments in which assembling or replacing cables is difficult [4.4 Device fabrication The following process was conducted in a nitrogen atmosphere glove box. First, the control ligand was dissolved in 10 mL DMF solvent at the molar ratio of PbI2 (1.229 g):PbBr2 (0.428 g) (2.3:1). Then 10 mL PbS QD solution with a concentration of 10 mg/mL and n-octane as solvent was added to the centrifuge tube containing the above control ligand for ligand exchange. After three repetitions of solution-phase ligand exchange in the DMF and octane solvent system, the 380 mg/mL PbS-IBr (PbI2 and PbBr2 capped PbS QDs) in DMF:DMSO:BTA:4-AMPY (50:30:17:3) solvent was spin-coated onto ZnO film at 2500 r/min for 45 s and then annealed at 90 °C for 10 min. The absorber film cooled down naturally to below 40 °C. Then, two layers of EDT-treated PbS QDs (excitonic peak at 890 nm) were grown to act as the whole transport layer. Finally, the Au layer with a thickness of 60 nm was deposited by thermal evaporation, to act as the upper electrode. The effective area of the prepared QD solar cell was 0.0706 cm2. The optical absorption spectra of QDs were measured by a Shimadzu UV-3600 Plus spectrophotometer. The absorption spectra of PbS QDs film and the devices were collected using a spectrophotometer (PerkinElmer instrument, Lambda 950). The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images were obtained using FEI Nova Nano SEM 450. The ZnO film crystallization was tested by X-ray diffractometer (XRD) with Cu Kα radiation (Philips, X pert pro-MRD, Netherlands). EQE of PbS QD PV cells was measured using a Quantum Efficiency Measurement Instrument QE-R (Enlitech Co., Ltd). The current density–voltage characteristics were recorded with a Keithley 2400 digital source meter under simulated solar light illumination (AM 1.5, 100 mW/cm2) or under 1550 nm laser illumination in the air at room temperature. Calculated absorption of the devices as a function of ZnO thickness at 1550 nm was simulated with commercial FEM software (COMSOL). The thickness of each layer in the simulation model was: Glass (1.1 mm), ITO (280 nm), ZnO (30–260 nm), EDT-PbS (46 nm), Au (60 nm), and PbS (450 nm). The incident light was a planar wave. The periodical boundary condition and perfectly matched layer were applied for the simulation of multi-layer films.4.5 Characterization of materials and devices
4.6 FEM simulation
Availability of data and materials
The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, upon reasonable request.
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Acknowledgements
This work was supported by Shenzhen Fundamental Research Program (JCYJ20200109142425294).
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MZ carried out the experiments, performed the data analysis and drafted the manuscript. YZ and ZW carried out the demonstration (powering LCD by infrared PbS CQD PV cell under 1550 nm illumination). SL provided methodology and participated in the data analysis. JZ and RZ carried out simulation. WM and GC participated the quantum dot synthesis. JZ and LG offered supervision. JT offered methodology and Project administration. JY and PG reviewed and edited the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
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Zhu, M., Zhang, Y., Lu, S. et al. Optical engineering of infrared PbS CQD photovoltaic cells for wireless optical power transfer systems. Front. Optoelectron. 16, 15 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12200-023-00069-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12200-023-00069-0