Solar cell employing phosphorescent materials

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.

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. 
   
     
     
         2 . The solar cell device of  claim 1 , wherein the acceptor particles comprise an absorber adsorbed on an inert TiO 2  nanoparticles current collector. 
     
     
         3 . 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. 
     
     
         4 . The solar cell device of  claim 3 , wherein the spacer comprises TiO 2 . 
     
     
         5 . The solar cell device of  claim 1 , wherein an emission spectrum of the donor particles overlaps with an absorption spectrum of the acceptor particles. 
     
     
         6 . The solar cell device of  claim 1 , wherein the solid state light absorber region forms, an electrode. 
     
     
         7 . 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. 
     
     
         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. 
   
     
     
         9 . The DSSC device of  claim 8 , wherein the acceptor particles comprise a dye, quantum dot or other absorber material anchored on TiO 2  nanoparticles. 
     
     
         10 . 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. 
     
     
         11 . The DSSC of  claim 10 , wherein the spacer comprises TiO 2 . 
     
     
         12 . The DSSC of  claim 8 , wherein an emission spectrum of the donor particles overlaps with an absorption spectrum of the acceptor particles. 
     
     
         13 . The DSSC of  claim 8 , wherein a volumetric ratio of acceptor particles to donor particles is approximately 10:1. 
     
     
         14 . The DSSC of  claim 9 , wherein the donor-acceptor particle structure and TiO 2  nanoparticles are coated onto a substrate. 
     
     
         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.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the acceptor particles comprise a dye adsorbed on a TiO 2  nanoparticles current collector. 
     
     
         17 . 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. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the spacer comprises TiO 2 . 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein an emission spectrum of the donor particles overlaps with an absorption spectrum of the acceptor particles. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein a volumetric ratio of acceptor particles to donor particles is approximately 10:1.