Air-stable halide perovskite thin films and quantum dots for solar energy harvesting devices

The extensive use of coal-based energy sources to cater to industrialization and rising population in the last several decades is leading to global warming and severe climate changes, which has motivated researchers to harness renewable energy resources. Among the existing renewable energy resources, solar energy is the most viable candidate to reduce fossil fuels in the near future. In this aspect, metallic halide perovskite (MHP) material has seen rapid advancements both for the solar cell as well as photocatalysis application, wherein the solar energy is used for a chemical reaction that transforms water and/or CO2 into portable high-density fuels such as hydrogen, methane and methanol. However, the ambient instability of MHP materials also complicates device fabrication requiring the use of expensive and cumbersome inert ambient glove boxes to protect the MHP active layers of optoelectronic devices from moisture and oxygen. The current challenge therefore lies in improving the environmental stability of MHP. Our solvent free perovskite synthesis process could address the stability as well as demonstrates an efficient candidate for both photovoltaics and photochemical application without use of any inert glove box.

Faculty Supervisor:

Karthik Shankar

Student:

Partner:

Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur

Discipline:

Computer science

Sector:

Education

University:

University of Alberta

Program: