Advanced Materials, Vol.21, No.30, 3073-3073, 2009
Near-Infrared Quantum Cutting for Photovoltaics
Efficient quantum cutting by the Pr3+-Yb3+ couple is demonstrated for the conversion of blue/green to near-infrared (NIR) radiation with quantum efficiencies close to 200%. The resonant two-step energy transfer process, which involves one higher-energy photon becoming two NIR photons, may lead to the reduction of energy loss in solar cells, revealing how spectral conversion is a promising avenue for boosting solar-cell efficiency.