Silicon photosensitisation via energy transfer from molecular dye layers is a promising area of research for excitonic silicon photovoltaics. We present the synthesis and photophysical characterisation of vinyl and allyl terminated Si(111) surfaces decorated with perylene molecules. The functionalised silicon surfaces together with Langmuir–Blodgett (LB) films based on perylene derivatives were studied using a wide range of steady-state and time resolved spectroscopic techniques. Fluorescence lifetime quenching experiments performed on the perylene modified monolayers revealed energy transfer efficiencies to silicon of up to 90 per cent. We present a simple model to account for the near field interaction of a dipole emitter with the silicon surface and distinguish between the ‘true’ FRET region (<5 nm) and a different process, photon tunnelling, occurring for distances between 10–50 nm. The requirements for a future ultra-thin crystalline solar cell paradigm include efficient surface passivation and keeping a close distance between the emitter dipole and the surface. These are discussed in the context of existing limitations and questions raised about the finer details of the emitter–silicon interaction.

中文翻译：

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使用分子层进行硅光敏化。

硅光敏通过分子染料层的能量转移是激子硅光伏技术的一个有前途的研究领域。我们目前的装饰和乙烯基和烯丙基末端装饰有per分子的Si（111）表面的光物理特征。功能化的硅表面以及基于per衍生物的Langmuir-Blodgett（LB）膜均使用多种稳态和时间分辨光谱技术进行了研究。在the改性的单层上进行的荧光寿命猝灭实验表明，向硅的能量转移效率高达90％。我们提供了一个简单的模型来说明偶极子发射极与硅表面的近场相互作用，并区分“真正的” FRET区域（<5 nm）和不同的过程（光子隧穿，发生在10–50 nm之间的距离。未来超薄晶体太阳能电池范例的要求包括有效的表面钝化以及在发射极偶极子与表面之间保持近距离。在存在局限性的背景下讨论了这些问题，并提出了有关发射极与硅相互作用的更详细细节的问题。