# US 2018/0025849 A1 · Solar cell employing phosphorescent materials

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- Number: US 2018/0025849 A1
- Document ID: US20180025849A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/547,186
- Filed: 2016-02-11
- Published: 2018-01-25
- Earliest claimed: 2015-02-13
- Assignees: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
- Applicants: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
- Inventors: Vidhya Chakrapani
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180025849A1

## CPC

- H10F 77/45: Wavelength conversion means, e.g. by using luminescent material, fluorescent concentrators or up-conversion arrangements
- H01G 9/0032: {formation of the dielectric layer}
- H01G 9/2022: {characterized by he counter electrode}
- H01G 9/2031: {comprising titanium oxide, e.g. TiO2 (H01G9/2036 takes precedence)}
- H01G 9/2063: {comprising a mixture of two or more dyes}
- H10F 71/138: {Manufacture of transparent electrodes, e.g. transparent conductive oxides [TCO] or indium tin oxide [ITO] electrodes}
- H10F 77/1433: {Quantum dots}
- H01G 9/2013: {the electrolyte comprising ionic liquids, e.g. alkyl imidazolium iodide}
- Y02E 10/52: PV systems with concentrators
- Y02E 10/542: Dye sensitized solar cells
- H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION
- H01G: CAPACITORS; CAPACITORS, RECTIFIERS, DETECTORS, SWITCHING DEVICES, LIGHT-SENSITIVE OR TEMPERATURE-SENSITIVE DEVICES OF THE ELECTROLYTIC TYPE (selection of specified materials as dielectric H01B3/00; capacitors having potential barriers H10D1/62, H10K10/10)
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

A solar cell device having a solid state light absorber region that incorporates a donor-acceptor particle structure. The particle structure includes acceptor particles that generate a flow of electrons in the solid state light absorber region in response to absorbed photons; and donor particles comprising a phosphorescent material, wherein each donor particle is coupled to a group of acceptor particles, and wherein the phosphorescent material absorbs high energy photons and emits lower energy photons that are absorbed by the acceptor particles.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A solar cell device, comprising:
a solid state light absorber region that includes a donor-acceptor particle structure having:
acceptor particles adsorbed on an inert nanoparticles current collector, which results in a flow of electrons in the solid state light absorber region in response to absorbed photons; and
donor panicles comprising a phosphorescent material, wherein each donor particle is coupled to a group of acceptor particles, and wherein the phosphorescent material absorbs high energy photons and emits lower energy photons that are absorbed by the acceptor particles.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The solar cell device of claim 1, wherein the acceptor particles comprise an absorber adsorbed on an inert TiO2 nanoparticles current collector.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The solar cell device of claim 1, wherein the donor particles includes a coating that provides a spacer between each donor particle and group of acceptor particles.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The solar cell device of claim 3, wherein the spacer comprises TiO2.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The solar cell device of claim 1, wherein an emission spectrum of the donor particles overlaps with an absorption spectrum of the acceptor particles.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The solar cell device of claim 1, wherein the solid state light absorber region forms, an electrode.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The solar cell device of claim 1 that comprises a device selected from a group consisting of: a dye sensitive solar cell, a quantum dot solar cell, a polymer solar cell, and a thin film solar cell.

### Claim 8

A dye sensitive solar cell (DSSC) device, comprising:
a counter electrode;
an electrolyte region;
a transparent back contact; and
a transparent electrode disposed between the electrolyte region and transparent back content, wherein the transparent electrode includes a donor-acceptor particle structure having:
acceptor particles adsorbed on an inert nanoparticles current collector, which upon absorption of photons, results in a flow of free electrons in the acceptor particles, injection of electrons into the inert nanoparticles current collector, and transport of injected electrons by the inert nanoparticles can collector to the transparent back contact; and
donor particles comprising a phosphorescent material, wherein each donor particle is coupled to a group of acceptor particles, and wherein the phosphorescent material absorbs high energy photons and emits lower energy photons that are absorbed by the acceptor particles.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The DSSC device of claim 8, wherein the acceptor particles comprise a dye, quantum dot or other absorber material anchored on TiO2 nanoparticles.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The DSSC device of claim 8, wherein the donor particles include a coating that provides a spacer between each donor particle and group of acceptor particles.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The DSSC of claim 10, wherein the spacer comprises TiO2.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The DSSC of claim 8, wherein an emission spectrum of the donor particles overlaps with an absorption spectrum of the acceptor particles.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The DSSC of claim 8, wherein a volumetric ratio of acceptor particles to donor particles is approximately 10:1.

### Claim 14 (depends on 9)

The DSSC of claim 9, wherein the donor-acceptor particle structure and TiO2 nanoparticles are coated onto a substrate.

### Claim 15

A method of forming a dye sensitive solar cell (DSSC) device, comprising:
providing a first and a second transparent back contact;
forming a transparent electrode on the first transparent back contact, wherein the transparent electrode includes a donor-acceptor particle structure having:
acceptor particles adsorbed on an inert nanoparticles current collector; and
donor particles comprising a phosphorescent material, wherein each donor panicle is coupled to a group of acceptor particles, and wherein the phosphorescent material absorbs high energy photons and emits lower energy photons that are absorbed by the acceptor particles;
forming a counter electrode on the second transparent back contact; and
forming an electrolyte region between the counter electrode and transparent electrode;
wherein the transparent electrode forms a light absorption region, which upon absorption of photons results in a flow of free electrons in the acceptor particles, injection of electrons into the inert nanoparticles current collector and transport of injected electrons by the inert nanoparticles current collector to the first transparent back contact.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein the acceptor particles comprise a dye adsorbed on a TiO2 nanoparticles current collector.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein the donor panicles include a coating that provides a spacer between each donor particle and group of acceptor particles.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein the spacer comprises TiO2.

### Claim 19 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein an emission spectrum of the donor particles overlaps with an absorption spectrum of the acceptor particles.

### Claim 20 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein a volumetric ratio of acceptor particles to donor particles is approximately 10:1.