Recent Developments of Solar Cells from PbS Colloidal Quantum Dots

PbS (lead sulfide) colloidal quantum dots consist of crystallites with diameters in the nanometer range with organic molecules on their surfaces, partly with additional metal complexes as ligands. These surface molecules are responsible for solubility and prevent aggregation, but the interface between semiconductor quantum dots and ligands also influences the electronic structure. PbS quantum dots are especially interesting for optoelectronic applications and spectroscopic techniques, including photoluminescence, photodiodes and solar cells. Here we concentrate on the latter, giving an overview of the optical properties of solar cells prepared with PbS colloidal quantum dots, produced by different methods and combined with diverse other materials, to reach high efficiencies and fill factors.