Surface plasmon resonance enhanced downconversion for solar cells

• Grant number: 20/02243-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: August 01, 2020
• End date: July 31, 2021
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Inorganic Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Lucas Carvalho Veloso Rodrigues
• Grantee: Rodrigo de Sousa Piasentin
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química (IQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The surface plasmon resonance effect has been widely studied in the last few years, due to its unique optical properties. The phenomenon is observed through metalic nanoparticles light sensitization (EX: gold and silver), and can be used for detection and imaging in biological systems.The current project's aims to study how surface plasmon resonance (SPR) influences on the downconversion phenomenon, for application in Solar Energy based photovoltaic cells enhancing its efficiency, using high reproducibility and easy application techniques.In summary, downconversion phenomenon consists on the conversion of one high energy photon into two or more low energy photons. This effect is already used as a method to improve solar cells efficiency, yet it does not represent appreciable yield.The motivation behind this project is to use plasmon effect properties to enhance downconversion's yield (theorical yield of 200%), through gold nanoparticles, synthetized using Turkevich method and functionalized, in a way which the phenomena can couple (SPR and downconversion). The goal is to attend the worldwide demand for clean and renewable energy supply, such as the solar photovoltaic energy conversion.