Journal of Inorganic Materials ›› 2016, Vol. 31 ›› Issue (10): 1110-1116.DOI: 10.15541/jim20160040

• Orginal Article • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Down-conversion Photoluminescence Properties of YVO4: Eu3+@SiO2 Core-shell Structures for Solar Cell Applications

TAN Man-Lin1, SHANG Xu-Ran1, 2, MA Qing1, WANG Xiao-Wei1, FU Dong-Ju1, LI Dong-Shuang1, ZHANG Wei-Li1, CHEN Jian-Jun1, ZHANG Hua-Yu2   

  1. (1. Research Institute of Tsinghua University in Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518057, China; 2. Harbin Institute of Technology Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China)
  • Received:2016-01-25 Revised:2016-03-25 Published:2016-10-20 Online:2016-09-23
  • Supported by:
    Shenzhen Science & Technology Research Plan (CXZZ20150323160924557, JCYJ20140419122040620, JCYJ20160301100700645);Guangdong Science & Technology Research Plan (2014A010106004);National Natural Science Foundation of China (51302150)

Abstract:

Europium ions doped yttrium vanadate (YVO4: Eu3+) has excellent emission properties for down-conversion applications. However, the serious surface defects of YVO4: Eu3+ hinder the improvement of luminescent efficiency. In order to improve the particle size distribution and morphology of YVO4: Eu3+ nano-powders, mono-dispersed spherical YVO4: Eu3+@SiO2 core-shell structure materials were prepared by coating a layer of YVO4: Eu3+ onto the surface of SiO2 microspheres. With the shell-core ratio setting as 0.6, the luminescence intensity of YVO4: Eu3+@SiO2 core-shell structure composite could reach up to more than 90% of pure YVO4: Eu3+ nano-powder. Furthermore, the prepared YVO4: Eu3+@SiO2 core-shell structure films were used as down-conversion materials for amorphous silicon thin film solar cells. The cell parameters such as short current density and photoelectric conversion efficiency increased from original 6.694 mA/cm2 and 9.40% to 8.417 mA/cm2 and 10.15%, respectively. Thus YVO4: Eu3+@SiO2 core-shell configuration can be fabricated from YVO4: Eu3+ and SiO2 microsphere to avoid agglomeration. The prepared YVO4: Eu3+@SiO2 core-shell structures have regular morphology and uniform particle sizes, which are suitable to be used as down-conversion light emitting layer in amorphous silicon solar cells.

Key words: yttrium vanadate, core-shell structure, solar cell, down-conversion

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