Down-Shifting and Anti-Reflection Effect of CsPbBr(3) Quantum Dots/Multicrystalline Silicon Hybrid Structures for Enhanced Photovoltaic Properties

Over the past couple of decades, extensive research has been conducted on silicon (Si) based solar cells, whose power conversion efficiency (PCE) still has limitations because of a mismatched solar spectrum. Recently, a down-shifting effect has provided a new way to improve cell performances by converting ultraviolet (UV) photons to visible light. In this work, caesium lead bromide perovskite quantum dots (CsPbBr(3) QDs) are synthesized with a uniform size of 10 nm. Exhibiting strong absorption of near UV light and intense photoluminescence (PL) peak at 515 nm, CsPbBr(3) QDs show a potential application of the down-shifting effect. CsPbBr(3) QDs/multicrystalline silicon (mc-Si) hybrid structured solar cells are fabricated and systematically studied. Compared with mc-Si solar cells, CsPbBr(3) QDs/mc-Si solar cells have obvious improvement in external quantum efficiency (EQE) within the wavelength ranges of both 300 to 500 nm and 700 to 1100 nm, which can be attributed to the down-shifting effect and the anti-reflection property of CsPbBr(3) QDs through the formation of CsPbBr(3) QDs/mc-Si structures. Furthermore, a detailed discussion of contact resistance and interface defects is provided. As a result, the coated CsPbBr(3) QDs are optimized to be two layers and the solar cell exhibits a highest PCE of 14.52%.