# US 12,009,443 B2 · Photovoltaic devices and methods

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- Number: US 12,009,443 B2
- Document ID: US12009443B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/059,803
- Filed: 2022-11-29
- Published: 2023-04-06
- Granted: 2024-06-11
- Earliest claimed: 2018-10-24
- Assignees: The Florida State University Research Foundation, Inc.
- Applicants: The Florida State University Research Foundation, Inc.
- Inventors: Jobeda Jamal Khanam; Simon Y. Foo
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12009443B2

## CPC

- H10K 30/57: comprising multiple junctions, e.g. tandem PV cells
- H10F 71/1375: {Apparatus for automatic interconnection of photovoltaic cells in a module}
- H10F 77/127: {comprising only Group IV-VI or only Group II-IV-VI chalcogenide materials, e.g. PbSnTe}
- H10F 77/1433: {Quantum dots}
- H10F 77/211: {for photovoltaic cells}
- H10F 77/247: {comprising indium tin oxide [ITO]}
- H10F 77/251: {comprising zinc oxide [ZnO]}
- H10K 30/83: comprising arrangements for extracting the current from the cell, e.g. metal finger grid systems to reduce the serial resistance of transparent electrodes
- H10K 71/15: characterised by the solvent used
- H10K 85/50: Organic perovskites; Hybrid organic-inorganic perovskites [HOIP], e.g. CH3NH3PbI3
- H10F 77/143: {comprising quantum structures}
- H10F 77/1437: {Quantum wires or nanorods}
- H10F 77/146: {Superlattices; Multiple quantum well structures}
- H10K 10/82: Electrodes
- H10K 30/211: {comprising multiple junctions, e.g. double heterojunctions}
- H10K 30/30: comprising bulk heterojunctions, e.g. interpenetrating networks of donor and acceptor material domains
- H10K 30/50: Photovoltaic [PV] devices
- H10K 85/1135: {Polyethylene dioxythiophene [PEDOT]; Derivatives thereof}
- Y02E 10/549: Organic PV cells
- H10K: ORGANIC ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES
- H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

Photovoltaic devices, and methods of fabricating photovoltaic devices. The photovoltaic devices may include a first electrode, at least one quantum dot layer, at least one semiconductor layer, and a second electrode. The first electrode may include a layer including Cr and one or more silver contacts.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of fabricating a photovoltaic device, the method comprising:
(i) providing a semiconductor layer arranged on a first electrode;
(ii) disposing a first liquid and a first amount of PbS quantum dots on the semiconductor layer;
(iii)(a) drying the first liquid or (b) spin coating the semiconductor layer to remove substantially all of the first liquid from the first amount of PbS quantum dots;
(iv) disposing a first amount of tetrabutylammonium iodide on the first amount of PbS quantum dots;
(v) contacting the tetrabutylammonium iodide with a first rinsing liquid to remove at least a portion of the tetrabutylammonium iodide from the first amount of PbS quantum dots;
(vi) optionally repeating steps (ii) to (v) one or more times;
(vii) disposing a second liquid and a second amount of PbS quantum dots on the first amount of PbS quantum dots;
(viii)(a) drying the second liquid or (b) spin coating the semiconductor layer to remove substantially all of the second liquid from the second amount of PbS quantum dots;
(ix) disposing a first amount of 1,2-ethanedithiol on the second amount of PbS quantum dots;
(x) contacting the 1,2-ethanedithiol with a second rinsing liquid to remove at least a portion of the 1,2-ethanedithiol from the second amount of PbS quantum dots;
(xi) optionally repeating steps (viii) to (x) one or more times; and
(xii) disposing a second electrode on the second amount of PbS quantum dots, wherein the disposing of the second electrode comprises (a) disposing a layer comprising Cr on the second amount of PbS quantum dots, and (b) disposing at least two contacts comprising Ag on the layer comprising Cr.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein steps (ii) to (v) are repeated 1 to 4 times.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein steps (viii) to (x) are repeated once.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein a concentration of the PbS quantum dots in the first liquid and/or the second liquid is about 5 mg/mL to about 25 mg/mL.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein a concentration of the PbS quantum dots in the first liquid and/or the second liquid is about 5 mg/mL to about 15 mg/mL.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the disposing of the layer comprising Cr and the at least one contact comprising Ag comprises thermally evaporating Cr and Ag, respectively.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the first rinsing liquid, the second rinsing liquid, or both the first rinsing liquid and the second rinsing liquid comprises acetonitrile.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one semiconductor layer comprises zinc oxide.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the semiconductor layer comprises zinc oxide, and the first electrode comprises indium tin oxide.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the first electrode comprises indium tin oxide.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one semiconductor layer is an electron transporting layer.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the layer comprising Cr has a thickness of about 2 nm to about 10 nm.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the layer comprising Cr has a thickness of about 5 nm.