Abstract
Enhancing the efficiency of commercial Si solar cells via quantum dots as an energy-down-shift layer is a new, straightforward, and cost-effective approach to utilize the wasted energy in the ultraviolet-light. Cd-based core/shell quantum dots have been used as an efficient energy-down-shift quantum dot layer on the front surface of Si solar cells to enhance their photovoltaic properties. Here, we describe the designing of energy-down-shift quantum dot layers using three types of Cd-based QDs, binary CdSe/ZnS, ternary Cd0.5Zn0.5S/ZnS, and Mn2+-doped Cd0.5Zn0.5S/ZnS QDs to enhance the short-circuit density by 6.18, 6.48, and 4.02%; thereby, the power conversion efficiency improved by 5.51, 6.40, and 3.22%, respectively, of Si solar cells. In addition, the technical and environmental challenges that limit their commercial applications for cost-effective and high-performance Si solar cells are discussed.