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Broadband light absorption enhancement in dye-sensitized solar cells with Au-Ag alloy popcorn nanoparticles.

ABSTRACT: In this paper, we present an investigation on the use of Au-Ag alloy popcorn-shaped nanoparticles (NPs) to realise the broadband optical absorption enhancement of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs). Both simulation and experimental results indicate that compared with regular plasmonic NPs, such as nano-spheres, irregular popcorn-shaped alloy NPs exhibit absorption enhancement over a broad wavelength range due to the excitation of localized surface plasmons (LSPs) at different wavelengths. The power conversion efficiency (PCE) of DSCs is enhanced by 16% from 5.26% to 6.09% by incorporating 2.38 wt% Au-Ag alloy popcorn NPs. Moreover, by adding a scattering layer on the exterior of the counter electrode, the popcorn NPs demonstrate an even stronger ability to increase the PCE by 32% from 5.94% to 7.85%, which results from the more efficient excitation of the LSP mode on the popcorn NPs.

SUBMITTER: Xu Q

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3698494 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Broadband light absorption enhancement in dye-sensitized solar cells with Au-Ag alloy popcorn nanoparticles.

Xu Qi Q Liu Fang F Liu Yuxiang Y Cui Kaiyu K Feng Xue X Zhang Wei W Huang Yidong Y

Scientific reports 20130101

In this paper, we present an investigation on the use of Au-Ag alloy popcorn-shaped nanoparticles (NPs) to realise the broadband optical absorption enhancement of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs). Both simulation and experimental results indicate that compared with regular plasmonic NPs, such as nano-spheres, irregular popcorn-shaped alloy NPs exhibit absorption enhancement over a broad wavelength range due to the excitation of localized surface plasmons (LSPs) at different wavelengths. The pow ...[more]

PMID: 23817586

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