Solution-Processed, Inverted AgBiS2 Nanocrystal Solar Cells

Advancing Silver Bismuth Sulfide Quantum Dots for Practical Solar Cell Applications

Colloidal quantum dots (CQDs) show unique properties that distinguish them from their bulk form, the so-called quantum confinement effects. This feature manifests in tunable size-dependent band gaps and discrete energy levels, resulting in distinct optical and electronic properties. The investigation direction of colloidal quantum dots (CQDs) materials has started switching from high-performing materials based on Pb and Cd, which raise concerns regarding their toxicity, to more environmentally friendly compounds, such as AgBiS2. After the first breakthrough in solar cell application in 2016, the development of AgBiS2 QDs has been relatively slow, and many of the fundamental physical and chemical properties of this material are still unknown. Investigating the growth of AgBiS2 QDs is essential to understanding the fundamental properties that can improve this material's performance. This review comprehensively summarizes the synthesis strategies, ligand choice, and solar cell fabrication of AgBiS2 QDs. The development of PbS QDs is also highlighted as the foundation for improving the quality and performance of AgBiS2 QD. Furthermore, we prospectively discuss the future direction of AgBiS2 QD and its use for solar cell applications.

Modulating the Structure and Optoelectronic Properties of Solution-Processed Bismuth-Based Nanocrystals

Bismuth-based chalcogenides have emerged as promising candidates for next-generation, solution-processable semiconductors, mainly benefiting from their facile fabrication, low cost, excellent stability, and tunable optoelectronic properties. Particularly, the recently developed AgBiS2 solar cells have shown striking power conversion efficiencies. High performance bismuth-based photodetectors have also been extensively studied in the past few years. However, the fundamental properties of these Bi-based semiconductors have not been sufficiently investigated, which is crucial for further improving the device performance. Here, we introduce multiple time-resolved and steady-state techniques to fully characterize the charge carrier dynamics and charge transport of solution-processed Bi-based nanocrystals. It was found that the Ag-Bi ratio plays a critical role in charge transport. For Ag-deficient samples, silver bismuth sulfide thin films behave as localized state induced hopping charge transport, and the Ag-excess samples present band-like charge transport. This finding is crucial for developing more efficient Bi-based semiconductors and optoelectronic devices.

Carrier Dynamics of Efficient Triplet Harvesting in AgBiS2 /Pentacene Singlet Fission Solar Cells

Singlet fission is a process by which an organic semiconductor is able to generate two triplet excitons from a single photon. If charges from the triplets can be successfully harvested without heavy losses in energy, then this process can enable a single-junction solar cell to surpass the Shockley-Queisser limit. While singlet fission processes are commonly observed in several materials, harvesting the resulting triplets is difficult and has been demonstrated with only a few transport materials. Here, transient absorption spectroscopy is used to investigate singlet fission and carrier transfer processes at the AgBiS₂ /pentacene (AgBiS₂ /Pc) heterojunction. The successful transfer of triplets from pentacene to AgBiS₂ and the transfer of holes from AgBiS₂ to pentacene is observed. Further singlet fission in pentacene by modifying the crystallinity of the pentacene layer and have fabricated the first singlet fission AgBiS₂ /Pc solar cell is enhanced. Singlet fission devices exhibit higher external quantum efficiency compared with the control devices, and thus demonstrating the significant contribution of charges from the singlet fission process.

Optimizing the Synthetic Conditions of "Green" Colloidal AgBiS2 Nanocrystals Using a Low-Cost Sulfur Source

Colloidal AgBiS₂ nanocrystals (NCs) have attracted increasing attention as a near-infrared absorbent materials with non-toxic elements and a high absorption coefficient. In recent years, colloidal AgBiS₂ NCs have typically been synthesized via the hot injection method using hexamethyldisilathiane (TMS) as the sulfur source. However, the cost of TMS is one of the biggest obstacles to large-scale synthesis of colloidal AgBiS₂ NCs. Herein, we synthesized colloidal AgBiS₂ NCs using oleylamine@sulfur (OLA-S) solution as the sulfur source instead of TMS and optimized the synthesis conditions of colloidal AgBiS₂ NCs. By controlling the reaction injection temperature and the dosage of OLA-S, colloidal AgBiS₂ NCs with adjustable size can be synthesized. Compared with TMS-based colloidal AgBiS₂ NCs, the colloidal AgBiS₂ NCs based on OLA-S has good crystallinity and fewer defects.

Optoelectronic Modulation of Silver Antimony Sulfide Thin Films for Photodetection

Silver antimony sulfide, as a ternary chalcogenide, has attracted great attention in the field of optoelectronics in recent years. In particular, it has appealing properties, such as excellent stability, solution processability, and versatile composition tunability. Benefiting from the recent development of processing techniques, AgSbS₂ has emerged as a promising candidate for next-generation, thin-film photovoltaics. On the contrary, AgSbS₂-based photodetectors have been barely reported. In this work, we systematically investigated the composition engineering of silver antimony sulfide compounds with a precursor route. Their optoelectronic properties were fully characterized, and the composition was optimized for photodetection. High-performance phototransistors were first reported based on field-effect thin film transistors with interfacial modification. The obtained AgSbS₂ phototransistors exhibited relatively high photosensitivity, low dark current and noise, superior device stability, and excellent detectivity covering the whole range from ultraviolet to near-infrared, highlighting the great potential for next-generation photodetection.

Atomic periodic engineering enabled ultrathin high-efficiency AgBiS2 solar cells

The periodic engineering of AgS6 and BiS6 octahedrons is demonstrated. The modulated AgBiS2 achieves a spectroscopic limited maximum efficiency as high as 29.7% with an ultrathin thickness of 100 nm.