Optoelectronic characterization of carrier extraction in a hot carrier photovoltaic cell structure

Dimmock, James A.; Kauer, Matthias; Smith, Katherine L.; Liu, Huiyun; Stavrinou, Paul N.; Ekins-Daukes, N. J.

doi:10.1088/2040-8978/18/7/074003

Cited by 19 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…1a), namely (i) single, thermionic barriers because they are predicted to produce the highest thermoelectric power [31,32] (Fig. 1c) and (ii), double-barriers -which have been previously used in hot carrier solar cell experiments [11,12] -because of the energy filtering effect [33] of resonant tunneling structures (Fig. 1d).…”

Section: Methods: Device Design and Fabricationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Single-nanowire, low-bandgap hot carrier solar cells with tunable open-circuit voltage

et al. 2017

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Compared to traditional pn-junction photovoltaics, hot carrier solar cells offer potentially higher efficiency by extracting work from the kinetic energy of photogenerated 'hot carriers' before they cool to the lattice temperature. Hot carrier solar cells have been demonstrated in high-bandgap ferroelectric insulators and GaAs/AlGaAs heterostructures, but so far not in low-bandgap materials, where the potential efficiency gain is highest. Recently, a high open-circuit voltage was demonstrated in an illuminated wurtzite InAs nanowire with a low bandgap of 0.39 eV, and was interpreted in terms of a photothermoelectric effect. Here, we point out that this device is a hot carrier solar cell and discuss its performance in those terms. In the demonstrated devices, InP heterostructures are used as energy filters in order to thermoelectrically harvest the energy of hot electrons photogenerated in InAs absorber segments. The obtained photovoltage depends on the heterostructure design of the energy filter and is therefore tunable. By using a high-resistance, thermionic barrier, an open-circuit voltage is obtained that is in excess of the Shockley-Queisser limit. These results provide generalizable insight into how to realize high voltage hot carrier solar cells in low-bandgap materials, and therefore are a step towards the demonstration of higher efficiency hot carrier solar cells.

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Section: Methods: Device Design and Fabricationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Single-nanowire, low-bandgap hot carrier solar cells with tunable open-circuit voltage

et al. 2017

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“…[11] Inorganic semiconductor multi-quantum well (MQW) structures (e.g., InAs/AlAsSb and GaAs/AlAs) have also demonstrated prolonged HC lifetimes. [12][13][14] This could possibly be emulated with the naturally formed quantum wells (QWs) of layered halide perovskites such as Ruddlesden-Popper perovskites (RPP), yet such studies are currently restricted to pure 2D perovskites. [15] Unlike their inorganic cousins, the hybrid organic-inorganic nature and facile processability of the quasi-2D or mixed-phase RPP could offer new opportunities for harvesting carriers with excess energy.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tailoring the Energy Manifold of Quasi‐Two‐Dimensional Perovskites for Efficient Carrier Extraction

Ramesh

Giovanni

Righetto

et al. 2022

Advanced Energy Materials

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Harvesting the excess energy from absorbed above bandgap photons is a promising approach to overcome the detailed balance limit for higher solar cell efficiencies. However, this remains very challenging for 2D layered halide perovskites as the fast excess energy loss competes effectively with charge extraction. Herein, the authors engineer the energy cascade manifold of quantum well (QW) states in quasi‐2D Ruddlesden–Popper perovskites by facile tuning of the organic spacer to decelerate the energy loss. The resulting excess energy loss rate is up to two orders slower compared to 3D perovskites, thus enabling efficient carrier extraction. 2D electronic spectroscopy reveals further insights into the structural and energetic disorder of these layered systems. Importantly, a judicious choice of the organic spacer holds the key to tailoring the coherent coupling between QWs that strongly influences the competition between the energy cascade and charge extraction.

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“…However, the optical methods used to obtain carrier temperature can be inaccurate when dealing with nanostructures and high excitation fluxes [23][24][25]. Meanwhile, several studies have been performed towards completed devices; especially electrical investigation to validate energy selective contacts [26][27][28]38].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Quantitative experimental assessment of hot carrier-enhanced solar cells at room temperature

et al. 2018

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In common photovoltaic devices, the part of the incident energy above the absorption threshold quickly ends up as heat, which limits their maximum achievable efficiency far below the thermodynamic limit for solar energy conversion. Conversely, if the excess kinetic energy of the photogenerated carriers could be converted into additional free energy, it would be possible to approach the thermodynamic limit. This is the principle of hot carrier devices. Unfortunately, such a device operation in conditions relevant for utilisation has never been evidenced. Here we show that the quantitative thermodynamic study of the hot carrier population, with luminance measurements, allows us to discuss the hot carrier contribution to the solar cell performance. We demonstrate that voltage and current can be enhanced in a semiconductor heterostructure due to the presence of the hot carrier population in a single InGaAsP quantum well at room temperature. These experimental results substantiate the potential of increasing photovoltaic performances in the hot carrier regime.

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Optoelectronic characterization of carrier extraction in a hot carrier photovoltaic cell structure

Cited by 19 publications

References 20 publications

Single-nanowire, low-bandgap hot carrier solar cells with tunable open-circuit voltage

Single-nanowire, low-bandgap hot carrier solar cells with tunable open-circuit voltage

Tailoring the Energy Manifold of Quasi‐Two‐Dimensional Perovskites for Efficient Carrier Extraction

Quantitative experimental assessment of hot carrier-enhanced solar cells at room temperature

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