Photovoltaic devices such as solar cells, hybrid solar cell-batteries, and other such devices may include an active layer disposed between two electrodes, the active layer having perovskite material and other material such as mesoporous material, interfacial layers, thin-coat interfacial layers, and combinations thereof. The perovskite material may be photoactive. The perovskite material may be disposed between two or more other materials in the photovoltaic device. Inclusion of these materials in various arrangements within an active layer of a photovoltaic device may improve device performance. Other materials may be included to further improve device performance, such as, for example: additional perovskites, and additional interfacial layers.

The present invention relates to a photovoltaic device (10) comprising: a first conducting layer (16), a second conducting layer electrically insulated from the first conducting layer, a porous substrate (20) made of an insulating material arranged between the first and second conducting layers, a light absorbing layer (1) comprising a plurality of grains (2) of a doped semiconducting material disposed on the first conducting layer (16) so that the grains are in electrical and physical contact with the first conducting layer, and a charge conductor (3) made of a charge conducting material partly covering the grains and arranged to penetrate through the first conducting layer (16) and the porous substrate such that a plurality of continuous paths (22) of charge conducting material is formed from the surface of the grains (2) to the second conducting layer (18), wherein the first conducting layer (16) comprises a conducting material, an oxide layer (28) formed on the surface of conducting material, and an insulating coating (29) made of an insulating material deposited on the oxide layer (28) so that the oxide layer and the insulating coating together electrically insulate said paths (22) from the conducting material of the first conducting layer (16).

The present invention relates to a light absorbing layer (1a) for a photovoltaic device, comprising a plurality of grains (2) of a doped semiconducting material and a charge conductor (3) made of a charge conducting material in physical contact with the grains. The grains are partly covered with the charge conductor (3) so that a plurality of junctions (4) are formed between the grains and the charge conductor. The present invention also relates to a photovoltaic device comprising the light absorbing layer (1a).

Photovoltaic devices such as solar cells, hybrid solar cell-batteries, and other such devices may include an active layer disposed between two electrodes, the active layer having perovskite material and other material such as mesoporous material, interfacial layers, thin-coat interfacial layers, and combinations thereof. The perovskite material may be photoactive. The perovskite material may be disposed between two or more other materials in the photovoltaic device. Inclusion of these materials in various arrangements within an active layer of a photovoltaic device may improve device performance. Other materials may be included to further improve device performance, such as, for example: additional perovskites, and additional interfacial layers.

A method for preparing photoactive perovskite materials. The method comprises the steps of preparing a lead and tin halide precursor ink. Preparing a lead and tin halide precursor ink comprises the steps of introducing a lead halide and a tin halide into a vessel; introducing a first solvent to the vessel; and contacting the lead halide and the halide with the first solvent to dissolve the lead halide and the tin halide to form the lead and tin halide precursor ink; depositing the lead and tin halide precursor ink onto a substrate; drying the lead and tin halide precursor ink to form a thin film; annealing the thin film; and rinsing the thin film with a solvent comprising: a second solvent; a first salt selected from the group consisting of methylammonium halide, formamidinimum halide, guanidinium halide, 1,2,2-triaminovinylammonium halide, and 5-aminovaleric acid hydrohalide; and a second salt selected from the group consisting of methylammonium halide, formamidinimum halide, guanidinium halide, 1,2,2-triaminovinylammonium halide, and 5-aminovaleric acid hydrohalide.

Graphene photodetectors capable of operating in the sub-bandgap region relative to the bandgap of semiconductor nanoparticles, as well as methods of manufacturing the same, are provided. A photodetector can include a layer of graphene, a layer of semiconductor nanoparticles, a dielectric layer, a supporting medium, and a packaging layer. The semiconductor nanoparticles can be semiconductors with bandgaps larger than the energy of photons meant to be detected.

A method for preparing photoactive perovskite materials. The method comprises the step of preparing a germanium halide precursor ink. Preparing a germanium halide precursor ink comprises the steps of: introducing a germanium halide into a vessel, introducing a first solvent to the vessel, and contacting the germanium halide with the first solvent to dissolve the germanium halide. The method further comprises depositing the germanium halide precursor ink onto a substrate, drying the germanium halide precursor ink to form a thin film, annealing the thin film, and rinsing the thin film with a second solvent and a salt.

Graphene photodetectors capable of operating in the sub-bandgap region relative to the bandgap of semiconductor nanoparticles, as well as methods of manufacturing the same, are provided. A photodetector can include a layer of graphene, a layer of semiconductor nanoparticles, a dielectric layer, a supporting medium, and a packaging layer. The semiconductor nanoparticles can be semiconductors with bandgaps larger than the energy of photons meant to be detected.

A method for preparing photoactive perovskite materials. The method comprises the step of preparing a lead halide precursor ink. Preparing a lead halide precursor ink comprises the steps of: introducing a lead halide into a vessel, introducing a first solvent to the vessel, and contacting the lead halide with the first solvent to dissolve the lead halide. The method further comprises depositing the lead halide precursor ink onto a substrate, drying the lead halide precursor ink to form a thin film, annealing the thin film, and rinsing the thin film with a second solvent and a salt.

An oxygen generating electrode includes a conductive layer; a photocatalyst layer; and a light absorption. The light-absorbing layer arranged between the conductive layer and the photocatalyst layer. The light-absorbing layer is formed of one or a plurality of perovskite-type films, and each of the films contains tin (Sn), oxygen (O), sulfur (S), and one or more elements selected from Group 1 or Group 2 of the periodic table of elements. Each of the films formed by doping S for substituting an O site is set so that a band gap takes a predetermined value in a range between 0 eV to 4 eV.