Plasma Synthesis of Silicon Nanocrystals: Application to Organic/Inorganic Photovoltaics through Solution Processing

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Silicon nanocrystals (SiNCs) have unique optical and electronic properties that are advantageous for semiconductor device applications and here their application to solar cell is presented. Free-standing, narrow size distribution SiNCs were synthesized by non-thermal plasma using silicon tetrachloride (SiCl4) successfully. Blended solution of as-produced SiNCs and P3HT, or Poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl), was spin-casted to form bulk heterojunction solar cell devices. As the weight fraction of SiNCs increased up to 50 wt%, the short circuit current and the power conversion efficiency dramatically increased, while the open circuit voltage and the fill factor do not change significantly. The improved performance is attributable to increased probability of exciton dissociation at acceptor SiNCs and donor P3HT interface.