Fabrication, characterisation & modelling of quantum dot solar concentrator stacks

Quantum Dot Solar Concentrators (QDCs) have been fabricated by the incorporation of quantum dots into highly transparent polymer host materials. UV polymerisation techniques were found to reduce the quantum dot quantum efficiency in comparison with thermally polymerised samples. The sample plates were characterised using photocurrent techniques in individual and stacked configurations. Due to the increase in absorption, stacking the QDC plates results in a 16% increase in photocurrent. This configuration could also reduce thermalisation losses when coupled to solar cells with appropriate band gaps.