Growing Quantum Dots in Polymers Advances Hybrid Solar Cell Research

Tunable photophysical properties, high electron affinity, and solution processability, make colloidal quantum dots (QDs) useful for hybrid QD/polymer photovoltaic solar cells. However, the separately synthesized QDs are capped by a ligand, which hinders electron transport at the QD/polymer interface. A recently reported new method of directly synthesizing QDs in a polymer not only advances the chemical synthesis of QDs, but also promises improved performance of QD/polymer hybrid solar cells.