Novel semiconductor solar cell structures: The quantum dot intermediate band solar cell

Martı́, Antonio; López, N.; Antolín, E.; Cánovas, Enrique; Stanley, CR; Farmer, C.D.; Cuadra, L.; Ĺuque, A.

doi:10.1016/j.tsf.2005.12.122

Cited by 181 publications

(91 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…Two approaches are being investigated in order to obtain a proper IB material: bulk alloys and semiconductor QDs. So far, most of the IBSC prototypes fabricated have followed the QD approach on the basis of the In(Ga)As/GaAs system [2][3][4][5]. The two main operating principles of the IBSC (photocurrent produced by absorption of two SBG energy photons and preservation of the open-circuit voltage) have been demonstrated in such QD-IBSCs working at low temperature [6][7][8].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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InAs/AlGaAs quantum dot intermediate band solar cells with enlarged sub-bandgaps

Ramiro

Antolín

Steer

et al. 2012

2012 38th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference

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-In the last decade several prototypes of intermediate band solar cells (IBSCs) have been manufactured. So far, most of these prototypes have been based on InAs/GaAs quantum dots (QDs) in order to implement the IB material. The key operation principles of the IB theory are two photon subbandgap (SBG) photocurrent, and output voltage preservation, and both have been experimentally demonstrated at low temperature. At room temperature (RT), however, thermal escape/relaxation between the conduction band (CB) and the IB prevents voltage preservation. To improve this situation, we have produced and characterized the first reported InAs/AlGaAs QDbased IBSCs. For an Al content of 25% in the host material, we have measured an activation energy of 361 meV for the thermal carrier escape. This energy is about 250 meV higher than the energies found in the literature for InAs/GaAs QD, and almost 140 meV higher than the activation energy obtained in our previous InAs/GaAs QD-IBSC prototypes including a specifically designed QD capping layer. This high value is responsible for the suppression of the SBG quantum efficiency under monochromatic illumination at around 220 K. We suggest that, if the energy split between the CB and the IB is large enough, activation energies as high as to suppress thermal carrier escape at room temperature (RT) can be achieved. In this respect, the InAs/AlGaAs system offers new possibilities to overcome some of the problems encountered in InAs/GaAs and opens the path for QD-IBSC devices capable of achieving high efficiency at RT.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, some issues have also been encountered which limit the performance of these devices. In particular, the extra-photocurrent has been found to be very small [3,9] and the output voltage has degraded compared to that of reference cells (same structure without the QDs) [2][3][4]9]. In this work we will tackle the second one.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

InAs/AlGaAs quantum dot intermediate band solar cells with enlarged sub-bandgaps

Ramiro

Antolín

Steer

et al. 2012

2012 38th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference

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“…However, if stacking a very large number of QD layers is possible, this condition is automatically satisfied by most of them and the FDL would not be necessary. 16 Finally, to further investigate the effect of the nanostructures in the EQE, we have performed photocurrent measurements of the solar cell at 16 K as a function of the applied bias. Two distinct evolutions can be observed in Fig.…”

Section: (B) (A)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Carrier recombination effects in strain compensated quantum dot stacks embedded in solar cells

Alonso-Álvarez

Taboada

Ripalda

et al. 2008

Applied Physics Letters

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In this work we report the stacking of 50 InAs/GaAs quantum dot layers with a GaAs spacer thickness of 18 nm using GaP monolayers for strain compensation. We find a good structural and optical quality of the fabricated samples including a planar growth front across the whole structure, a reduction in the quantum dot size inhomogeneity, and an enhanced thermal stability of the emission. The optimized quantum dot stack has been embedded in a solar cell structure and we discuss the benefits and disadvantages of this approach for high efficiency photovoltaic applications.

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“…The strain-induced dislocations of the QDs result in short minority carrier lifetime, and cause difficulties in increasing the number of the QD layers that are needed to maximise the photon absorption by QDs [11]- [14]. Furthermore, the performance of IBSCs relies on an IB that is partially filled with electrons [15], [16]. For strong sub-bandgap photon absorption, the IB needs to have empty states to receive the electrons pumped from the VB, and states filled with electrons to pump electrons to the CB.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Si-Doped InAs/GaAs Quantum Dot Solar Cell with Alas Cap Layers

Kim

Tang

et al. 2017

E3S Web Conf.

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In this work, the effect of Si doping on InAs/GaAs quantum dot solar cells with AlAs cap layers is studied. The AlAs cap layers suppress the formation of the wetting layer during quantum dot growth. This helps achieve quantum dot state filling, which is one of the requirements for strong sub-bandgap photon absorption in the quantum dot intermediate band solar cell, at lower Si doping density. Furthermore, the passivation of defect states in the quantum dots with moderate Si doping is demonstrated, which leads to an enhancement of the carrier lifetime in the quantum dots, and hence the open-circuit voltage.

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Novel semiconductor solar cell structures: The quantum dot intermediate band solar cell

Cited by 181 publications

References 9 publications

InAs/AlGaAs quantum dot intermediate band solar cells with enlarged sub-bandgaps

InAs/AlGaAs quantum dot intermediate band solar cells with enlarged sub-bandgaps

Carrier recombination effects in strain compensated quantum dot stacks embedded in solar cells

Si-Doped InAs/GaAs Quantum Dot Solar Cell with Alas Cap Layers

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