An insight into the mechanism of charge-transfer of hybrid polymer:ternary/quaternary chalcopyrite colloidal nanocrystals

• Parul Chawla,
• Son Singh and
• Shailesh Narain Sharma

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2014, 5, 1235–1244, doi:10.3762/bjnano.5.137

• (3,4-ethylenedioxioxythiophene):poly(4-styrenesulfonate) complex (PEDOT:PSS) [11][12]. Recently, nanocrystals of one of the well-known quarternary chalcopyrite copper-zinc-tin-selenide (CZTSe) has been receiving considerable attention as a promising candidate for low-cost active absorber layers as it

One-step synthesis of high quality kesterite Cu₂ZnSnS₄ nanocrystals – a hydrothermal approach

• Vincent Tiing Tiong,
• John Bell and
• Hongxia Wang

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2014, 5, 438–446, doi:10.3762/bjnano.5.51

• 32% [5]. It has been proposed that high-efficiency and low-cost photovoltaic devices can be made from CZTS nanocrystals [6][7]. This is due to the fact that thin film light absorber layers with controlled thickness can be made from a slurry containing the nanocrystals by a cost-effective method such

Confinement dependence of electro-catalysts for hydrogen evolution from water splitting

• Mikaela Lindgren and
• Itai Panas

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2014, 5, 195–201, doi:10.3762/bjnano.5.21

• an efficient absorber of H2 in the gas phase under ambient conditions - a purely chemical property. The semi-quantitative nature of the methodology does not allow for precise predictions of absolute numbers (see horizontal "error bar" in Figure 1e). However, it may be that the overpotentials reported

Template based precursor route for the synthesis of CuInSe₂ nanorod arrays for potential solar cell applications

• Mikhail Pashchanka,
• Jonas Bang,
• Niklas S. A. Gora,
• Ildiko Balog,
• Rudolf C. Hoffmann and
• Jörg J. Schneider

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2013, 4, 868–874, doi:10.3762/bjnano.4.98

• range and a part of the near infrared diapason as well (with a threshold that corresponds to a bandgap energy of 1.03 eV). A future challenge would be the incorporation of the 3D aligned CISe nanorod arrays as absorber material in a solar cell. Obviously, one of the main challenges towards this end is

Controlled synthesis and tunable properties of ultrathin silica nanotubes through spontaneous polycondensation on polyamine fibrils

• Jian-Jun Yuan,
• Pei-Xin Zhu,
• Daisuke Noda and
• Ren-Hua Jin

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2013, 4, 793–804, doi:10.3762/bjnano.4.90

• factors are vital for generating a green emission at over 540 nm. This is an interesting phenomenon and needs further investigation. Silica nanotube/carbon composite. Silica/carbon composites are potentially applicable for electrochemical devices and selective solar absorber [45][46]. There have been some

Synthesis of indium oxi-sulfide films by atomic layer deposition: The essential role of plasma enhancement

• Cathy Bugot,
• Nathanaëlle Schneider,
• Daniel Lincot and
• Frédérique Donsanti

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2013, 4, 750–757, doi:10.3762/bjnano.4.85

• tuned. Keywords: atomic layer deposition; buffer layer; indium oxi-sulfide; plasma enhancement; thin film solar cells; Introduction Chalcopyrite-type thin film solar cells that are based on a Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) absorber have reached high efficiencies, up to 20.3% [1] in 2011 and 20.4% [2] on flexible

• substrates in 2013. The best efficiencies were obtained by using cadmium sulfide (CdS) as buffer layer in solar cells with a glass/Mo/CIGS/CdS/i-ZnO/ZnO:Al stack. The buffer layer is an n-type semiconductor that forms the p–n junction with the p-type CIGS absorber, and also modifies the CIGS surface

Junction formation of Cu₃BiS₃ investigated by Kelvin probe force microscopy and surface photovoltage measurements

• Fredy Mesa,
• William Chamorro,
• William Vallejo,
• Robert Baier,
• Thomas Dittrich,
• Alexander Grimm,
• Martha C. Lux-Steiner and
• Sascha Sadewasser

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2012, 3, 277–284, doi:10.3762/bjnano.3.31

• to be developed. We present an investigation of the Cu3BiS3 absorber layer and the junction formation with CdS, ZnS and In2S3 buffer layers. Kelvin probe force microscopy shows the granular structure of the buffer layers with small grains of 20–100 nm, and a considerably smaller work-function

• the influence of defect states below the band gap on charge separation and a surface-defect passivation by the In2S3 buffer layer. Our findings indicate that Cu3BiS3 may become an interesting absorber material for thin-film solar cells; however, for photovoltaic application the band bending at the

• photovoltaic active interface with a SPV of ~130 mV [7]. It is well known from the Cu(In,Ga)Se2 solar cells that a buffer layer is required between the n-ZnO window and the p-type absorber layer to reach high efficiency values [8]. Traditionally, CdS deposited by chemical bath deposition (CBD) has been used as

Extended X-ray absorption fine structure of bimetallic nanoparticles

• Carolin Antoniak

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2011, 2, 237–251, doi:10.3762/bjnano.2.28

• number, Fj(k) is the effective scattering amplitude, Rj is half the total of the scattering path, λ(k) is the mean free path length of the photoelectron wavenumber, δj is an effective total phase shift including contributions from the absorber atoms and all scattering atoms, and exp(−2k2σj2) is the EXAFS

• distribution function (PDF) of atoms around the absorber atom. To account for thermal or configurational disorder, the complex wavenumber p is introduced and should be used instead of k. The imaginary part of p represents losses of photoelectron coherence, which includes the mean free path and core-hole

• from the absorber, which is essential for any numerical EXAFS analysis on the basis of Equation 9. In addition, the elemental species of backscattering atoms have to be known for subsequent fitting of the numerical simulation to the experimental data. For a proper FT of experimental data, χ(k) is

Infrared receptors in pyrophilous (“fire loving”) insects as model for new un-cooled infrared sensors

• David Klocke,
• Anke Schmitz,
• Helmut Soltner,
• Herbert Bousack and
• Helmut Schmitz

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2011, 2, 186–197, doi:10.3762/bjnano.2.22

• read by an optical system [21], a capacitive detector [22], or a tunneling displacement transducer [23]. To enhance the IR absorption in the gas, the cavity is equipped with an additional absorber. Reflecting walls of the cavity are another means to enhance the absorption. The temperature changes of

• have a significant lower absorption coefficient which requires the application of an additional absorber such as plastic, aluminium, antimony or lead [21]. When the absorbing film is directly on the inner surface of the window, the assumption of a boundary layer as in the case of water is valid

• density and heat capacity may have a low IR absorption, which makes this fluid disadvantageous for the application. A decoupling of thermal and optical properties can be achieved with a matrix of a good absorber, e.g., a meshwork of plastic or tiny plastic beads, or a dye immersed in the fluid. The

Defects in oxide surfaces studied by atomic force and scanning tunneling microscopy

• Thomas König,
• Georg H. Simon,
• Lars Heinke,
• Leonid Lichtenstein and
• Markus Heyde

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2011, 2, 1–14, doi:10.3762/bjnano.2.1

• makes atomic resolution on conductors [7] as well as on insulators [8] possible. In addition to investigations on the surface topography, site specific spectroscopy measurements can be performed [8]. The whole setup is placed in a sound absorber cabin and is carried on a wooden frame, which, in turn, is