Probing Nanostructures for Photovoltaics: Using atomic force microscopy and other tools to characterize nanoscale materials for harvesting solar energy.

摘要

The ability to make materials with nanoscale dimensions opens vast opportunities for creating custom materials with unique properties. The properties of materials on the nanoscale are distinct from their larger counterparts, and can be tuned in ways that are not otherwise possible. In this work, various nanoscale materials are synthesized and characterized, with an emphasis on materials with photovoltaics applications. Graphene, an atomically thin sheet of carbon, is combined with metal nanoparticles, and the electronic and optical properties of this material are studied. Heterostructured nanocrystals of CdS-Cu2S are characterized as a potential solar cell active layer. Improvement of the performance of organic solar cells is achieved with the application of large electric fields. In all of these studies, the atomic force microscope is used to characterize the surface topography and electronic properties of these systems.