Nanomaterials for Solar Energy Conversion
There is an urgent need for cheap and efficient solar cell technology in order for solar energy to become more economically viable.
Research employing nanomaterials for solar energy conversion either focuses on improving the energy conversion through better
energy/photon management and/or reducing the processing cost through high-defect tolerance conversion approaches,
but a deeper understanding of the photon-to-carrier conversion mechanisms and charge transport in nanoscale morphologies is needed.
This session will examine recent developments and new approaches in the use of nanomaterials
for solar cell devices and will discuss our current understanding of factors affecting conversion efficiencies.
Papers representing high quality original research are requested in the following areas:
- Nanostructures for solar energy conversion (nanocrystals, nanowires, quantum dots);
- Carbon nanotubes in solar cell devices;
- Organic solar cells and bulk heterostructure devices;
- Dye-sensitized nanomaterials, Grätzel cells;
- Optical and electronic processes in nanomaterials for solar energy conversion;
- Advanced concepts for solar energy conversion; multiple exciton generation, up and down conversion, intermediate band, etc.;
- Exciton and charge-transfer dynamics in nanomaterials;
- Charge transport in nanoscale architectures;
- Modeling and optimizing solar cell efficiency