The present disclosure is a photoelectric conversion element including: a photoelectric conversion layer 5 including a first quantum dot 4a and a second quantum dot 4b, a ratio X of the number of heavy metal atoms to the number of oxygen group atoms is less than 2 on a surface of the nanoparticle of the first quantum dot 4a, the ratio X is greater than or equal to 2 on a surface of the nanoparticle of the second quantum dot 4b, and Equation (1) is satisfied:
0.3<N  (1),
where N denotes a ratio of the number of second quantum dots to the number of first quantum dots.

The invention provides a quantum dots-sensitized solar cell and a method of enhancing the optoelectronic performance of a quantum dots-sensitized solar cell using a co-adsorbent, in which a bifunctional molecule is used as the co-adsorbent and is mixed with aqueous quantum dots to form a quantum dots sensitizer, thereby improving the photoelectric conversion efficiency of the solar cell.

The present disclosure provides a photovoltaic device and a method for forming the photovoltaic device. The photovoltaic device comprises a first solar cell structure having a photon absorbing layer comprising an organic material having a first bandgap; and a second solar cell structure having a photon absorbing layer comprising a material that has a Perovskite structure and having a second bandgap. The first and second solar cell structures are positioned at least partially onto each other.

Disclosed is a semiconductor-liquid junction based photoelectrochemical (PEC) cell for the unassisted solar splitting of water into hydrogen and oxygen gas, the solar-driven reduction of CO.sub.2 to higher-order hydrocarbons, and the solar-driven synthesis of NH.sub.3. The disclosed system can employ a photocathode based upon wurtzite hexagonal semiconductors that can be tailored with proper band alignment for the redox potentials for water, CO.sub.2 reduction, and NH.sub.3 production, and with bandgap energy for maximum solar absorption. The design maximizes the carrier collection efficiency by leveraging spontaneous and piezoelectric polarization in these materials systems to generate hot electrons within the photocathode. These electrons have sufficient excess energy, preserved at a designed energy capture region, to overcome the kinetic overpotential (surface chemistry limitation) required for the reactions to occur at a high rate.

A solar cell having a transparent conducting layer disposed upon a substrate, an electron transporting layer (ETL) disposed upon the transparent conducting layer, a perovskite layer disposed upon the ETL layer, an inorganic dichalcogenide material disposed upon the perovskite layer, and a conducting material disposed upon the dichalcogenide material, the dichalcogenide material and the conducting material together comprising a dichalcogenide composite electrode. In another embodiment, the solar cell has a first conducting material disposed upon a substrate, an inorganic dichalcogenide material disposed upon the first conducting material forming a dichalcogenide composite electrode, a perovskite layer disposed upon the dichalcogenide composite electrode, an ETL disposed upon the perovskite layer, and a second conducting material disposed upon the ETL.

The present disclosure is a photoelectric conversion element including: a photoelectric conversion layer 5 including a first quantum dot 4a and a second quantum dot 4b, a ratio X of the number of heavy metal atoms to the number of oxygen group atoms is less than 2 on a surface of the nanoparticle of the first quantum dot 4a, the ratio X is greater than or equal to 2 on a surface of the nanoparticle of the second quantum dot 4b, and Equation (1) is satisfied:

0.3<N(1),

where N denotes a ratio of the number of second quantum dots to the number of first quantum dots.

A quantum dot sensitized solar cell (QDSSC) includes a highly catalytic Ni-doped CuS thin film as a counter electrode (CE). The Ni-doped CuS CE can deliver outstanding electrocatalytic activity, conductivity, and low-charge transfer resistance at the CE/electrolyte interface. As a result, the QDSSC can achieve higher efficiency (=4.36%) than a QDSSC with a bare CuS CE (3.24%).

An electrode is presented for use in an oxidation process. The electrode comprises a substrate having an electrically conductive surface carrying a chiral system. The chiral system is configured for controlling spin of electrons transferred between the substrate and electrolyte during the oxidation process.

An electrode is presented for use in an oxidation process. The electrode comprises a substrate having an electrically conductive surface carrying a chiral system. The chiral system is configured for controlling spin of electrons transferred between the substrate and electrolyte during the oxidation process.

An electronic device includes a substrate and at least two electrodes spaced by a nanogap, wherein the at least two electrodes are bridged by at least one nanoparticle and wherein the at least one nanoparticle has an overlap area with the at least two electrodes higher than 2% of the area of the at least one nanoparticle. A method of manufacturing of the electronic device and the use of the electronic device in photodetector, transistor, phototransistor, optical modulator, electrical diode, photovoltaic cell or electroluminescent component are also described.