Ana Sayfa Physic Particle Physics Decoding Exciton Fission: Paving the Way for High-Efficiency Solar Cells

Decoding Exciton Fission: Paving the Way for High-Efficiency Solar Cells

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Abstract

Scientists have successfully uncovered the mechanism behind exciton fission, a process in which certain molecular materials, such as pentacene, can convert a single photon into multiple free charges, potentially enhancing the efficiency of photovoltaic technology. By using time- and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, researchers observed the dynamics of excited electrons on a femtosecond timescale, resolving a long-standing debate surrounding the mechanism. The research team confirmed that only one electron-hole pair is excited immediately after photon excitation and identified the process responsible for doubling the number of free charge carriers. Understanding this initial step in exciton fission is crucial for integrating this class of organic semiconductors into innovative photovoltaic applications, which could boost the conversion efficiency of modern solar cells and pave the way for advanced solar energy generation.

Unraveling Enhanced Photovoltaic Conversion with Ultrafast Imaging

Photovoltaic technology, which transforms light into electrical energy, plays a crucial role in the pursuit of sustainable power sources. The fundamental understanding of light and electricity as quantized particles known as photons and elementary charges (electrons and holes) has its roots in the work of Max Planck and Albert Einstein.

Certain materials demonstrate a higher than anticipated conversion of photons into free charges. By utilizing an ultrafast film, scientists have managed to capture images of this process in action. The results of their research have been published in the prestigious journal, Nature.

Unlocking the Potential of Exciton Fission for High-Efficiency Solar Cells

Typically, a single photon’s energy is transferred to only two free charges within a solar cell material. However, certain molecular substances, like pentacene, stand out as they enable the conversion of a single photon into four charges. This phenomenon, known as exciton fission, holds significant promise for enhancing the efficiency of photovoltaic technology, particularly in advancing silicon-based systems.

Researchers from the Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society, the Technical University of Berlin, and the Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg have successfully unraveled the initial phase of this process. By capturing an ultrafast film of the photon-to-electricity conversion, they have resolved a long-standing debate surrounding the mechanism behind it.

Prof. Ralph Ernstorfer, a senior author of the study, clarifies that upon being exposed to light, the charges within pentacene respond swiftly. The key question, which has been a contentious topic for years, was whether an absorbed photon directly excites two electrons and holes or initially just one electron-hole pair that subsequently shares its energy with another charge pair. Ernstorfer leads a Max Planck research group at the Fritz Haber Institute and serves as a Professor of Experimental Physics at the Technical University of Berlin.

Revealing Electron Dynamics with Advanced Spectroscopy Techniques

To solve this puzzle, the research team employed time- and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, a state-of-the-art method that allows for the observation of electron dynamics on a femtosecond timescale – one quadrillionth of a second. This ultrafast electron imaging device made it possible to visualize the transient excited electrons for the first time.

Capturing these charge carrier pairs was vital in decoding the process, according to Alexander Neef from the Fritz Haber Institute and the study’s first author. He explains that an excited electron-hole pair possesses not only a specific energy but also adopts unique patterns referred to as orbitals. To comprehend the process of singlet fission, it is essential to determine the charge carriers’ orbital shapes and observe how they evolve over time.

Unveiling Exciton Fission Mechanisms for Advanced Photovoltaic Applications

Armed with images from the ultrafast electron movie, the scientists were able to break down the dynamics of the excited charge carriers based on their orbital properties for the first time. Alexander Neef asserts that they can now definitively confirm that only one electron-hole pair is excited immediately after photon excitation, and they have identified the mechanism responsible for doubling the number of free charge carriers.

Prof. Jens Pflaum, whose group at the University of Würzburg supplied the high-quality molecular crystals for the study, emphasizes that understanding this initial phase in exciton fission is crucial for integrating this category of organic semiconductors into innovative photovoltaic applications. This breakthrough could potentially enhance the conversion efficiency of modern solar cells. The significance of this development is immense, as solar energy and third-generation solar cells are set to become dominant sources of energy in the future.

What Does All This Mean?

These findings hold significant implications for both the scientific community and humanity as a whole. By uncovering the mechanism behind exciton fission, researchers have unlocked the potential for enhancing the efficiency of photovoltaic technology. This breakthrough could lead to the development of innovative organic semiconductors that improve the performance of solar cells, making solar energy generation more cost-effective and accessible.

As the world continues to search for sustainable and environmentally friendly energy sources, advances in solar energy technology become increasingly vital. Enhanced solar cell efficiency can help reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, decrease greenhouse gas emissions, and mitigate the impacts of climate change. Ultimately, this research contributes to the broader effort to develop clean, renewable energy solutions that will benefit both the environment and future generations.


Deep Dive

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  2. Congreve, D. N., Lee, J., Thompson, N. J., Hontz, E., Yost, S. R., Reusswig, P. D., … & Baldo, M. A. (2013). External quantum efficiency above 100% in a singlet-exciton-fission–based organic photovoltaic cell. Science, 340(6130), 334-337. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1232994
  3. Chan, W.-L., Ligges, M., & Zhu, X.-Y. (2012). The Energy Barrier in Singlet Fission Can Be Overcome through Coherent Coupling and Entropic Gain. Nature Chemistry, 4(10), 840–845. https://doi.org/10.1038/nchem.1430
  4. Silva, C. (2014). Singlet exciton fission photovoltaics. Accounts of Chemical Research, 47(6), 1575-1584. https://doi.org/10.1021/ar400287h
  5. Yost, S. R., Lee, J., Wilson, M. W., Wu, T., McMahon, D. P., Parkhurst, R. R., … & Congreve, D. N. (2014). A transferable model for singlet-fission kinetics. Nature Chemistry, 6(6), 492-497. https://doi.org/10.1038/nchem.1945

Quotation: https://phys.org/news/2023-04-photon-carriers.html

Original Article: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-023-05814-1

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