The fabrication of “light harvesting” structures is important in solar energy research to improve the capture of the dilute incident solar spectrum. Previous work has already shown efficient excitation energy transfer from dyes close to the silicon surface [1-4] towards the development of a silicon photosensitized silicon solar cell.
In this presentation, we will show research examples developed from light-harvesting monolayer structures based on Langmuir Blodgett films with efficient singlet and/or triplet energy transfer to silicon substrates. Demonstration of light harvesting structures based on polystyrene microspheres functionalized with different ratios of luminescent donor and acceptor dyes.
Furthermore, direct covalent attachment of dye molecules on the surface of silicon substrates is demonstrated for the photosensitization of silicon. A modification of a two-step halogenation/Grignard route, involving a chlorination-alkylation reaction is used to passivate the surface of crystalline silicon which can be further modified via functionalization in order to photosensitive Si(111) with the attachment of light-harvesting complexes such as porphyrin and perylene derivatives.
We will show how efficient energy transfer can be employed to create artificial light-harvesting structures for different PV applications such as silicon photosensitization and Luminescent Solar Concentrators.
References
1. W. Peng, S. M. Rupich, N. Shafiq, Y. N. Gartstein, A. V. Malko and Y. J. Chabal, Chem. Rev., 2015, 115, 12764–12796.
2. N. Alderman, L. Danos, L. Fang, M. Grossel and T. Markvart, Chem. Commun., 2017, 53, 12120–12123
3. L. Danos, N. R. Halcovitch, B. Wood, H. Banks, M. P. Coogan, N. Alderman, L. Fang, B. Dzurnak and T. Markvart, Faraday Discuss., 2020, 222, 405–423.
4. H. Banks, M.P. Coogan, T. Markvart and L.Danos, J. Mater. Chem. C., 2024, 12, 13822-13826