May 26, 2013

Balance is key to making quantum-dot solar cells work



MIT team finds that the ratio of component atoms is vital to performance.

There has been great interest in recent years in using tiny particles called quantum dots to produce low-cost, easily manufactured, stable photovoltaic cells. But, so far, the creation of such cells has been limited by the fact that in practice, quantum dots are not as good at conducting an electric charge as they are in theory.