Inhomogeneous light photovoltaic effect in neighboring quantum dots

Abstract

Structures of solar cells usually involve p-type and n-type bilayer materials until now. The p-n type structure can provide an asymmetric potential which causes charge careers move in one definite direction and create bias voltage. In this paper, we prove theoretically that inhomogeneous light can be used to replace the p-n type structured materials in solar cells. In this protocol, asymmetric potential is provided by input light and working materials in the cell are allowed to be symmetrically structured. The inhomogeneous light creates polarization of electron number distribution in the conductance band of the cell and furthermore give rises to net current. Two conductor electrodes sandwiched with double quantum dots (QDs) have been used to demonstrate our model in the frame of non-equilibrium quantum master equation at room temperature. The double-QD opened system would be regarded as a basic component of the solar cell, then high current density and efficiency of such kind solar cell could be predicted. One advantage of the inhomogeneous field solar cell is that photocurrent can be obtained with lower cost and more simply structured devices.