Hot Carrier solar cell absorbers: investigation of carrier cooling properties of candidate materials

G. Conibeer, Santosh Shrestha, Shujuan Huang, Robert Patterson, Hongze Xia, Yu Feng, Pengfei Zhang, Neeti Gupta, Suntrana Smyth, Yuanxun Liao, Shu Lin, Pei Wang, Xi Dai, Simon Chung, Jianfeng Yang, Yi Zhang

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference proceeding contributionpeer-review

Abstract

The hot carrier cell aims to extract the electrical energy from photo-generated carriers before they thermalize to the band edges. Hence it can potentially achieve a high current and a high voltage and hence very high efficiencies up to 65% under 1 sun and 86% under maximum concentration. To slow the rate of carrier thermalisation is very challenging, but modification of the phonon energies and the use of nanostructures are both promising ways to achieve some of the required slowing of carrier cooling. A number of materials and structures are being investigated with these properties and test structures are being fabricated. Initial measurements indicate slowed carrier cooling in III-Vs with large phonon band gaps and in multiple quantum wells. It is expected that soon proof of concept of hot carrier devices will pave the way for their development to fully functioning high efficiency solar cells.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationNext Generation Technologies for Solar Energy Conversion VI
EditorsOleg V. Sulima, Gavin Conibeer
Place of PublicationBellingham, WA
PublisherSPIE
Pages1-13
Number of pages13
ISBN (Electronic)9781628417289
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2015
Externally publishedYes
EventNext Generation Technologies for Solar Energy Conversion VI - San Diego, United States
Duration: 10 Aug 201512 Aug 2015

Publication series

NameProceedings of SPIE
PublisherSPIE
Volume9562
ISSN (Print)0277-786X
ISSN (Electronic)1996-756X

Conference

ConferenceNext Generation Technologies for Solar Energy Conversion VI
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CitySan Diego
Period10/08/1512/08/15

Keywords

  • phonons
  • carrier cooling
  • hot carriers
  • time resolved photoluminescence
  • Klemens decay
  • multiple quantum wells

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