The present disclosure is directed to methods for producing a photovoltaic junction that can include coating a bare junction with a composition. In one embodiment, the composition includes a plurality of quantum dots to create a film; exposing the film to a ligand to create a first layer; coating the first layer with the composition to form a film on the first layer; and exposing the film on the first layer to the ligand to create a second layer.

The present disclosure is directed to methods for producing a photovoltaic junction that can include coating a bare junction with a composition. In one embodiment, the composition includes a plurality of quantum dots to create a film; exposing the film to a ligand to create a first layer; coating the first layer with the composition to form a film on the first layer; and exposing the film on the first layer to the ligand to create a second layer.

The present disclosure is directed to photovoltaic junctions and methods for producing the same. Embodiments of the disclosure may be incorporated in various devices for applications such as solar cells and light detectors and may demonstrate advantages compared to standard materials used for photovoltaic junctions such as silica. An example embodiment of the disclosure includes a photovoltaic junction, the junction including a light absorbing material, an electron acceptor for shuttling electrons, and a metallic contact. In general, embodiments of the disclosure as disclosed herein include photovoltaic junctions which provide absorption across one or more wavelengths in the range from about 200 nm to about 1000 nm, or from near IR (NIR) to ultra-violet (UV). Generally, these embodiments include a multi-layered light absorbing material that can be formed from quantum dots that are successively deposited on the surface of an electron acceptor (e.g., a semiconductor).

The present disclosure is directed to photovoltaic junctions and methods for producing the same. Embodiments of the disclosure may be incorporated in various devices for applications such as solar cells and light detectors and may demonstrate advantages compared to standard materials used for photovoltaic junctions such as silica. An example embodiment of the disclosure includes a photovoltaic junction, the junction including a light absorbing material, an electron acceptor for shuttling electrons, and a metallic contact. In general, embodiments of the disclosure as disclosed herein include photovoltaic junctions which provide absorption across one or more wavelengths in the range from about 200 nm to about 1000 nm, or from near IR (NIR) to ultra-violet (UV). Generally, these embodiments include a multi-layered light absorbing material that can be formed from quantum dots that are successively deposited on the surface of an electron acceptor (e.g., a semiconductor).

A photovoltaic cell includes a semiconductor element (20) formed from a direct semiconductor and a transparent biasing agent (28) overlying a first portion of the front face (22) of the semiconductor, the biasing agent producing a first depletion region (30) in the semiconductor element. A collector (40) directly contacts a second portion of the front face. The collector produces a second depletion region (44) in the semiconductor element. The collector (40) is out of direct conductive contact with the biasing agent (28) but in proximity to the biasing agent. A continuous region at least partially depleted of majority carriers extends between the first and second depletion regions at the front face of the semiconductor element, The continuous region may include overlapping portions of the first and second depletion regions (30,44), or may include an additional depletion region (160) formed by a charged dielectric (147).

A photovoltaic cell includes a semiconductor element (20) formed from a direct semiconductor and a transparent biasing agent (28) overlying a first portion of the front face (22) of the semiconductor, the biasing agent producing a first depletion region (30) in the semiconductor element. A collector (40) directly contacts a second portion of the front face. The collector produces a second depletion region (44) in the semiconductor element. The collector (40) is out of direct conductive contact with the biasing agent (28) but in proximity to the biasing agent. A continuous region at least partially depleted of majority carriers extends between the first and second depletion regions at the front face of the semiconductor element, The continuous region may include overlapping portions of the first and second depletion regions (30,44), or may include an additional depletion region (160) formed by a charged dielectric (147).

Tandem solar cell configurations are provided where at least one of the cells is a metal chalcogenide cell. A four-terminal tandem solar cell configuration has two electrically independent solar cells stacked on each other. A two-terminal solar cell configuration has two electrically coupled solar cells (same current through both cells) stacked on each other. Carrier selective contacts can be used to make contact to the metal chalcogenide cell (s) to alleviate the troublesome Fermi level pinning issue. Carrier-selective contacts can also remove the need to provide doping of the metal chalcogenide. Doping of the metal chalcogenide can be provided by charge transfer. These two ideas can be practiced independently or together in any combination.

Tandem solar cell configurations are provided where at least one of the cells is a metal chalcogenide cell. A four-terminal tandem solar cell configuration has two electrically independent solar cells stacked on each other. A two-terminal solar cell configuration has two electrically coupled solar cells (same current through both cells) stacked on each other. Carrier selective contacts can be used to make contact to the metal chalcogenide cell (s) to alleviate the troublesome Fermi level pinning issue. Carrier-selective contacts can also remove the need to provide doping of the metal chalcogenide. Doping of the metal chalcogenide can be provided by charge transfer. These two ideas can be practiced independently or together in any combination.

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 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.