Progress Of Advanced Quantum Dots and Their Applications in Quantum Dot Sensitized Solar Cells

Solar cell is a type of photovoltaic semiconductor panel that generates energy directly from sunlight. It is also known as a solar chip or photovoltaic cell. Solar cells are an important energy storage device and have drawn more attention lately because of the benefits of renewable energy, environmental friendliness, non-pollution, distributed power supply, scalability, and increased energy security. It is acknowledged that quantum dot sensitized solar cells, a type of solar cell that uses semiconductor quantum dots as sensitizers, can improve the photoelectrochemical performance of the cell. Quantum dots are essential in determining the performance of solar cells. As a result, identifying quantum dots with the ideal size, energy band structure, and surface properties is critical to the advancement of solar cell technology. This work briefly introduces the basic properties of quantum dots. The function of quantum dots in quantum dot-sensitized solar cells as sensitizers is then reviewed, as well as their mechanism for raising the efficiency of solar cells. Finally, this work discusses the prospects and challenges of using quantum dots in solar cells. Several research directions for further development in response to current problems were summarized: (1) exploring lead- and cadmium-free sensitizer technologies; (2) preparing photoanodes with high quantum dot loadings; (3) seeking for a new electrolyte that incorporates all solid configurations.