Photovoltaic Devices Employing Ternary PbS_<i>x</i>Se_1<i>-x</i> Nanocrystals

We report solar cells based on highly confined nanocrystals of the ternary compound PbS(x)Se(1-x). Crystalline, monodisperse alloyed nanocrystals are obtained using a one-pot, hot injection reaction. Rutherford back scattering and energy-filtered transmission electron microscopy suggest that the S and Se anions are uniformly distributed in the alloy nanoparticles. Photovoltaic devices made using ternary nanoparticles are more efficient than either pure PbS or pure PbSe based nanocrystal devices.