Method to synthesize colloidal iron pyrite (FeS2) nanocrystals and fabricate iron pyrite thin film solar cells

• Main Authors: Puthussery James, Seefeld Sean, Law Matthew
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 09.01.2018
• Subjects: APPLYING LIQUIDS OR OTHER FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL; BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; CHEMICAL SURFACE TREATMENT; CHEMISTRY; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATIONOR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY IONIMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COMPOUNDS CONTAINING METALS NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSESC01D OR C01F; DIFFUSION TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL; ELECTRIC SOLID STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ELECTRICITY; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO STRUCTURAL AND PHYSICAL ASPECTS OFSOLID INORGANIC COMPOUNDS; INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION INGENERAL; INORGANIC CHEMISTRY; MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF NANOSTRUCTURES; MEASUREMENT OR ANALYSIS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; METALLURGY; NANOTECHNOLOGY; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PROCESSES FOR APPLYING LIQUIDS OR OTHER FLUENT MATERIALS TOSURFACES, IN GENERAL; REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGYGENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION; SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; SPECIFIC USES OR APPLICATIONS OF NANOSTRUCTURES; SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THESURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINSTCLIMATE CHANGE; TRANSPORTING

Systems and methods are provided for the fabrication and manufacture of efficient, low-cost p-n heterojunction pyrite solar cells. The p-n heterojunction pyrite solar cells can include a pyrite thin cell component, a window layer component, and a top surface contact component. The pyrite thin cell component can be fabricated from nanocrystal paint deposited onto metal foils or microcrystalline pyrite deposited onto foil by chemical vapor deposition. A method of synthesizing colloidal pyrite nanocrystals is provided. Methods of manufacturing the efficient, low-cost p-n heterojunction pyrite solar cells are also provided.