This book presents the applications of nanomaterials and nanostructures in photovoltaic solar cells, elaborates how they can help achieve high photoelectric conversion efficiency, and introduces readers to the important work done in this field. It covers the basic physical properties of semiconductors and nanomaterials, as well as the formation and characteristics of the p-n junction and the heterojunction; the basic working principle and structures of nano photovoltaic cells; the important parts of nano photovoltaic cells, namely nano surface trapping and electrodes; nano solar cells based on quantum dots, quantum wires, and organic-inorganic hybrid nano photovoltaic cells; and some reported high-efficiency photovoltaic cells. It also discusses various device structures and important growth techniques for obtaining nanomaterials for solar cells. The book will serve as a useful reference or textbook for researchers, teachers, engineers, and graduate students.

Ning Dai obtained his PhD in condensed matter physics from the University of Notre Dame and completed his postdoctoral work at the City University of New York. He has been working on condensed matter physics at the Shanghai Institute of Technical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences since 2001. He is currently also a distinguished professor at the Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Studies, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, and ShanghaiTech University. Prof. Dai's research focuses on active frontiers in the field of optoelectronics, including material and device preparation, fundamentals of optoelectronic physics, and cutting-edge research. He has published nearly 400 journal papers and has undertaken projects such as the National Major Research Program of the Ministry of Science and Technology (973) and Major Projects of the National Natural Science Foundation of China. He leads a research team of 7 researchers and over 20 postdoctoral and graduate students.