Quantum dot enabled photovoltaic cells

We combine fundamental studies of the photophysics of semiconductor quantum dots adsorbed on surfaces with realizations of new designs for third-generation photovoltaic cells incorporating quantum dots.

We have introduced several new designs for a hybrid quantum-dot - dye sensitized cells. Properly designed quantum dots have also been shown to photoinduce a dipole, leading to modification of the band alignment in sensitized cells. Our current efforts mostly focus on methylammonium, formamidinium and cesium lead halide perovskite materials (and the very peculiar self-healing they exhibit) as well as their hybrids with colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals for photovoltaic applications. We have put particular emphasis on one of the more peculiar properties of halide perovskites - their tendency to self heal following photochemical damage, a property which may be crucial for their exploitation in electronic devices and in photovoltaic cells.

Recent publications

  1. D. R. Ceratti, R. Tenne, A. Bartezzaghi, L. Cremonesi, L. Segev, V. Kalchenko, D. Oron, M. A. C. Potenza, G. Hodes, D. Cahen, “Self-Healing and Light-Soaking in MAPbI3: the effect of H2O”, Adv. Mater. 2110239 (2022).

  2. K. D. Crans, M. Bain, S. Bradforth, D. Oron, M. Kazes, R. L. Brutchey, “The Surface Chemistry of Ionic Liquid-Treated CsPbBr3 Quantum Dots”, J. Chem. Phys. 158, 174709 (2023).

  3. P. Singh, Y. Soffer, D. Ceratti, M. Elbaum, D. Oron, G. Hodes, D. Cahen, “A-site Cation Dependence of Self-Healing in Polycrystalline APbI3 Perovskite Films”, ACS Energy Lett. 8, 2447  (2023).

  4. X. Liu, Z. Wu, J. Han, H. Zhong, X. Wang, J. Yang, Z. Zhang, D. Oron, and H. Lin “Epitaxial 2D PbS nanosheet-formamidinium lead triiodide heterostructure enabling high-performance perovskite solar cells”, Adv. Funct. Mater. 2304140 (2023).

  5. P. Singh, D. R. Ceratti, Y. Soffer, S. Bera, Y. Feldman, M. Elbaum, D. Oron, D. Cahen, G. Hodes, “Guanidinium substitution improves self-healing and photodamage resilience of MAPbI3”, J. Phys. Chem. C 128, 19999 (2024).

  6. K. Crans, H. Cohen, A. Nehoray, D. Oron, M. Lazes, R. Brutchey, “A redox active ionic liquid surface treatment for healing CsPbBr3 nanocrystals”, Nano Lett. 24, 16015 (2024).