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Ultrafast Electron Dynamics in Solar Energy Conversion

Ponseca, Carlito S. LU ; Chábera, Pavel LU ; Uhlig, Jens LU ; Persson, Petter LU and Sundström, Villy LU (2017) In Chemical Reviews 117(16). p.10940-11024
Abstract

Electrons are the workhorses of solar energy conversion. Conversion of the energy of light to electricity in photovoltaics, or to energy-rich molecules (solar fuel) through photocatalytic processes, invariably starts with photoinduced generation of energy-rich electrons. The harvesting of these electrons in practical devices rests on a series of electron transfer processes whose dynamics and efficiencies determine the function of materials and devices. To capture the energy of a photogenerated electron-hole pair in a solar cell material, charges of opposite sign have to be separated against electrostatic attractions, prevented from recombining and being transported through the active material to electrodes where they can be extracted.... (More)

Electrons are the workhorses of solar energy conversion. Conversion of the energy of light to electricity in photovoltaics, or to energy-rich molecules (solar fuel) through photocatalytic processes, invariably starts with photoinduced generation of energy-rich electrons. The harvesting of these electrons in practical devices rests on a series of electron transfer processes whose dynamics and efficiencies determine the function of materials and devices. To capture the energy of a photogenerated electron-hole pair in a solar cell material, charges of opposite sign have to be separated against electrostatic attractions, prevented from recombining and being transported through the active material to electrodes where they can be extracted. In photocatalytic solar fuel production, these electron processes are coupled to chemical reactions leading to storage of the energy of light in chemical bonds. With the focus on the ultrafast time scale, we here discuss the light-induced electron processes underlying the function of several molecular and hybrid materials currently under development for solar energy applications in dye or quantum dot-sensitized solar cells, polymer-fullerene polymer solar cells, organometal halide perovskite solar cells, and finally some photocatalytic systems.

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author
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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Chemical Reviews
volume
117
issue
16
pages
85 pages
publisher
The American Chemical Society (ACS)
external identifiers
  • scopus:85028049348
  • pmid:28805062
  • wos:000408519200008
ISSN
0009-2665
DOI
10.1021/acs.chemrev.6b00807
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
becc34b8-27bf-45e5-ae97-75404d3b8e72
date added to LUP
2017-12-18 12:49:53
date last changed
2024-06-11 09:16:25
@article{becc34b8-27bf-45e5-ae97-75404d3b8e72,
  abstract     = {{<p>Electrons are the workhorses of solar energy conversion. Conversion of the energy of light to electricity in photovoltaics, or to energy-rich molecules (solar fuel) through photocatalytic processes, invariably starts with photoinduced generation of energy-rich electrons. The harvesting of these electrons in practical devices rests on a series of electron transfer processes whose dynamics and efficiencies determine the function of materials and devices. To capture the energy of a photogenerated electron-hole pair in a solar cell material, charges of opposite sign have to be separated against electrostatic attractions, prevented from recombining and being transported through the active material to electrodes where they can be extracted. In photocatalytic solar fuel production, these electron processes are coupled to chemical reactions leading to storage of the energy of light in chemical bonds. With the focus on the ultrafast time scale, we here discuss the light-induced electron processes underlying the function of several molecular and hybrid materials currently under development for solar energy applications in dye or quantum dot-sensitized solar cells, polymer-fullerene polymer solar cells, organometal halide perovskite solar cells, and finally some photocatalytic systems.</p>}},
  author       = {{Ponseca, Carlito S. and Chábera, Pavel and Uhlig, Jens and Persson, Petter and Sundström, Villy}},
  issn         = {{0009-2665}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{08}},
  number       = {{16}},
  pages        = {{10940--11024}},
  publisher    = {{The American Chemical Society (ACS)}},
  series       = {{Chemical Reviews}},
  title        = {{Ultrafast Electron Dynamics in Solar Energy Conversion}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acs.chemrev.6b00807}},
  doi          = {{10.1021/acs.chemrev.6b00807}},
  volume       = {{117}},
  year         = {{2017}},
}