Luminescent GdVO{sub 4}:Sm{sup 3+} quantum dots enhance power conversion efficiency of bulk heterojunction polymer solar cells by Förster resonance energy transfer

Journal Article · Mon Jul 11 00:00:00 EDT 2016 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4958690· OSTI ID:22590615

Bishnoi, Swati ^[1]; Gupta, Vinay; Sharma, Gauri D.; Chand, Suresh ^[1]; Sharma, Chhavi; Kumar, Mahesh ^[2]; Haranath, D. ^[1]; Naqvi, Sheerin ^[3]

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1. CSIR-Network of Institutes for Solar Energy, New Delhi 110001 (India)
2. Ultrafast Optoelectronics and Terahertz Photonics Lab, Physics of Energy Harvesting Division, CSIR-National Physical Laboratory, New Delhi 110012 (India)
3. Luminescent Materials and Devices Group, CSIR-National Physical Laboratory, New Delhi 110012 (India)

In this work, we report enhanced power conversion efficiency (PCE) of bulk heterojunction polymer solar cells by Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) from samarium-doped luminescent gadolinium orthovanadate (GdVO{sub 4}:Sm{sup 3+}) quantum dots (QDs) to polythieno[3,4-b]-thiophene-co-benzodithiophene (PTB7) polymer. The photoluminescence emission spectrum of GdVO{sub 4}:Sm{sup 3+} QDs overlaps with the absorption spectrum of PTB7, leading to FRET from GdVO{sub 4}:Sm{sup 3+} to PTB7, and significant enhancements in the charge-carrier density of excited and polaronic states of PTB7 are observed. This was confirmed by means of femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy. The FRET from GdVO{sub 4}:Sm{sup 3+} QDs to PTB7 led to a remarkable increase in the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of PTB7:GdVO{sub 4}:Sm{sup 3+}:PC{sub 71}BM ([6,6]-phenyl-C{sub 71}-butyric acid methyl ester) polymer solar cells. The PCE in optimized ternary blend PTB7:GdVO{sub 4}:Sm{sup 3+}:PC{sub 71}BM (1:0.1:1.5) is increased to 8.8% from 7.2% in PTB7:PC{sub 71}BM. This work demonstrates the potential of rare-earth based luminescent QDs in enhancing the PCE of polymer solar cells.

• OSTI ID: 22590615
• Journal Information: Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 109, Issue 2; Other Information: (c) 2016 Author(s); Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0003-6951
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ABSORPTION
ABSORPTION SPECTRA
ABSORPTION SPECTROSCOPY
BUTYRIC ACID
CARRIER DENSITY
CHARGE CARRIERS
DOPED MATERIALS
EFFICIENCY
EMISSION SPECTRA
ENERGY TRANSFER
GADOLINIUM
HETEROJUNCTIONS
PHOTOLUMINESCENCE
POLYCYCLIC SULFUR HETEROCYCLES
POLYMERS
QUANTUM DOTS
SAMARIUM IONS
SOLAR CELLS