Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference:	GR/N03938/01
Title:	DEMONSTRATION OF A QUANTUM DOT CONCENTRATOR
Principal Investigator:	Barnham, Professor K
Other Investigators:	O'Brien, Professor P Norton, Professor B
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:	BP Vegla
Department:	Physics
Organisation:	Imperial College London
Scheme:	Standard Research (Pre-FEC)
Starts:	01 March 2000	Ends:	28 February 2003	Value (£):	213,767
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:	Solar Technology
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:	Electronics Energy
Related Grants:	GR/N04683/01
Panel History:
Summary on Grant Application Form
We will investigate a novel application of the latest QD technology to make the luminescent solar collector a practical concentrator. The quantum efficiency (QE), tunability of absorption threshold and size of red-shift shift make QDs the ideal replacement for the organic dyes whose performance limited this inexpensive technology. It will be an interdisciplinary, blue skies project involving three experts in high efficiency concentrator cells (IC-QPV), single-molecule precursor QD growth techniques (IC-CHEM) and passive solar concentrtor design (CST). In collaboration with two leading solar companies, we will investigate ways to incorporate QDs into plastics and glass, while preserving the high QE observed in solutions. IC-CHEM will study how best to extend the hetero-structure dot approach to shorter wavelengths. We have developed a thermodynamic model, which demonstrates that the red-shift depends on the spread of quantum dot sizes and hence can be determined during growth. The model will be used to study re-absorption and to optimise concentrator performance. It will be co-ordinated with the ray-tracing and thermal effect modelling at CST. An optimised system will be designed and constructed with quantum well solar cells, which have been pioneered at IC-QPV. The system will be tested at CST.
Key Findings
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Further Information:
Organisation Website:	http://www.imperial.ac.uk