Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080290431 | Nanorod sensor with single-plane electrodes - A nanorod sensor with a single plane of horizontally-aligned electrodes and an associated fabrication method are provided. The method provides a substrate and forms an intermediate electrode overlying a center region of the substrate. The intermediate electrode is a patterned bottom noble metal/Pt/Ti multilayered stack. TiO | 11-27-2008 |
20120073635 | Tandem Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell and Method for Making Same - A method is provided for forming a tandem dye-sensitized solar cell (DSC) using a bonding process. The method forms a first photovoltaic (PV) cell including a cathode, a first dye, and an anode. A second PV cell is also formed including a cathode, a second dye, and an anode. The second PV cell anode is bonded to the first PV cell cathode, at a temperature of less than 100 degrees C., using a transparent conductive adhesive. In response to the bonding, an internal series electrical connection is formed between the first PV cell and the second PV cell. In one aspect, the second PV cell is formed from a first titanium oxide (TiO | 03-29-2012 |
20120302743 | Long Wavelength Absorbing Porphyrin Photosensitizers for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells - A long wavelength absorbing porphyrin/metalloporphyrin molecule is provided, made up of a porphyrin macrocycle and an anchor group for attachment to a substrate. A molecular linking element is interposed between the porphyrin macrocycle and the anchor group. The porphyrin/metalloporphyrin molecule also includes an (aminophenyl)amine group, either N,N-(4-aminophenyl)amine or N-phenyl-N-(4-aminophenyl)amine, where an amino moiety of the 4-aminophenyl group is derivatized by an element such as hydrogen, haloalkanes, aromatic hydrocarbons, halogenated aromatic hydrocarbons, heteroarenes, halogenated heteroarenes, or combinations of the above-mentioned elements. | 11-29-2012 |
20130122723 | Ultraviolet Treatment of Metal Oxide Electrodes - An ultraviolet treatment method is provided for a metal oxide electrode. A metal oxide electrode is exposed to an ultraviolet (UV) light source in a humid environment. The metal oxide electrode is then treated with a moiety having at least one anchor group, where the anchor group is a chemical group capable of promoting communication between the moiety and the metal oxide electrode. As a result, the moiety is bound to the metal oxide electrode. In one aspect the metal oxide electrode is treated with a photoactive moiety. Exposing the metal oxide electrode to the UV light source in the humid environment induces surface defects in the metal oxide electrode in the form of oxygen vacancies. In response to the humidity, atmospheric water competes favorably with oxygen for dissociative adsorption on the metal oxide electrode surface, and hydroxylation of the metal oxide electrode surface is induced. | 05-16-2013 |
20130291941 | Solid-State Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell Using Sodium or Potassium Ionic Dopant - A solid-state hole transport composite material (ssHTM) is provided made from a p-type organic semiconductor and a dopant material serving as a source for either sodium (Na+) or potassium (K+) ions. The p-type organic semiconductor may be molecular (a collection of discrete molecules, that are either chemically identical or different), oligomeric, polymeric materials, or combinations thereof. In one aspect, the p-type organic semiconductor is 2,2′,7,7′-tetrakis(N,N-di-p-methoxyphenylamine)-9,9′-spirobifluorene (Spiro-OMeTAD). The dopant material is an inorganic or organic material salt. A solid-state dye-sensitized solar cell (ssDSC) with the above-described ssHTM, is also provided. | 11-07-2013 |
20130340825 | Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell with Ordered Tin Oxide Composite Nanostructure Electrodes - A dye-sensitized solar cell (DSC) is provided, made from an anode layer of tin oxide (SnO | 12-26-2013 |
20140116509 | Solid-State Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell Using Oxidative Dopant - A solid-state hole transport composite material (ssHTM) is provided. The ssHTM is made from a neutral charge first p-type organic semiconductor, and a chemically oxidized first p-type semiconductor, where the dopants are silver(I) containing materials. A reduced form of the silver(I) containing material is also retained as functional component in the ssHTM. In one aspect, the silver(I) containing material is silver bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (TFSI). In another aspect, the first p-type organic semiconductor is 2,2′,7,7′-tetrakis(N,N-di-p-methoxyphenylamine)-9,9′-spirobifluorene (Spiro-OMeTAD). In one variation, the ssHTM additionally includes a first p-type organic semiconductor doped with an ionic dopant such as lithium (Li | 05-01-2014 |
20140134792 | Solution-Processed Metal Selenide Semiconductor using Deposited Selenium Film - Methods are provided for fabricating a solution-processed metal and mixed-metal selenide semiconductor using a selenium (Se) film layer. One aspect provides a conductive substrate and deposits a first Se film layer over the conductive substrate. A first solution, including a first material set of metal salts, metal complexes, or combinations thereof, is dissolved in a solvent and deposited on the first Se film layer. A first intermediate film comprising metal precursors is formed from corresponding members of the first material set. In one aspect, a plurality of intermediate films is formed using metal precursors from the first material set or a different material set. In another aspect, a second Se film layer is formed overlying the intermediate film(s). Thermal annealing is performed in an environment including hydrogen (H | 05-15-2014 |
20140158021 | Electrochemical Synthesis of Selenium Nanoparticles - A method is provided for the electrochemical synthesis of selenium (Se) nanoparticles (NPs). The method forms a first solution including a Se containing material and a stabilizing first ligand, dissolved in a first solvent. The first solution is exposed to an electric field, and in response to the electric field, a second solution is formed with dispersed SeNPs. The Se containing material has either a nonzero or positive oxidation state. In one particular aspect, the first solution is formed by dissolving Se dioxide (SeO | 06-12-2014 |
20140216553 | Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell via Co-Sensitization with Cooperative Dyes - A co-sensitized dye-sensitized solar cell (DSC) is provided, made from a transparent substrate and a transparent conductive oxide (TCO) film overlying the transparent substrate. An n-type semiconductor layer overlies the TCO, and is co-sensitized with a first dye (D1) and a second dye (D2). A redox electrolyte is in contact with the co-sensitized n-type semiconductor layer, and a counter electrode overlies the redox electrolyte. The first dye (D1) has a first optical absorbance local maxima at a first wavelength (A1) and a second optical absorbance local maxima at a second wavelength (A2), longer than the first wavelength. The second dye (D2) has a third optical absorbance local maxima at a third wavelength (A3) between the first wavelength (A1) and the second wavelength (A2). In one aspect, the first dye (D1) includes a porphyrin material, for example, a metalloporphyrin obtained by complexation with a transition metal such as zinc (i.e. zinc porphyrin (ZnP)). | 08-07-2014 |
20140216554 | Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell with Energy-Donor Material Enhancement - A dye-sensitized solar cell (DSC) is provided with energy-donor enhancement. A transparent conductive oxide (TCO) film is formed overlying a transparent substrate, and an n-type semiconductor layer is formed overlying the TCO. The n-type semiconductor layer is exposed to a dissolved dye (D1) having optical absorbance local maximums at a first wavelength (A1) and second wavelength (A2), longer than the first wavelength. The n-type semiconductor layer is functionalized with the dye (D1), forming a sensitized n-type semiconductor layer. A redox electrolyte is added that includes a dissolved energy-donor material (ED1) in contact with the sensitized n-type semiconductor layer. The energy-donor material (ED1) is capable of non-radiative energy transfer to the dye (D1), which is capable of charge transfer to the n-type semiconductor. In one aspect, the dye (D1) is a metalloporphyrin, such as zinc porphyrin (ZnP), and the energy-donor material (ED1) includes a perylene-monoimide material or chemically modified perylene-monoimide material. | 08-07-2014 |
20140283892 | Solid State Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell Tandem Module - A method is provided for forming a solid-state dye-sensitized solar cell (ssDSC) tandem module. The method fabricates a first panel by forming a first plurality of series-connected ssDSC cells overlying the first substrate top surface, with an electrical interface between each ssDSC cell. A second panel is fabricated in the same manner. An anisotropic conductive film (ACF) is formed overlying each electrical interface of the first panel ssDSC cells. Each ACF is aligned to a corresponding electrical interface of the second panel ssDSC cells, and the panels are bound. The result is a ssDSC tandem module comprising a first plurality of series-connected tandem sections, where each tandem section comprises a first panel ssDSC cell connected in parallel with an overlying second panel ssDSC cell. In one variation, the tandem sections include series-connected ssDSC cells. | 09-25-2014 |