Reflective Barrier Optimization in Ultrathin Single-Junction GaAs Solar Cell

Cavassilas, Nicolas; Gelly, Clementine; Michelini, Fabienne; Bescond, Marc

doi:10.1109/jphotov.2015.2478032

Cited by 14 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…The picture is expected to change for the case where coherence plays a role in the transport, as in superlattice absorbers [27], similarly to the situation found in THz quantum cascade lasers [28], or in the presence of barrier layers at the contacts [11]. There, at least partial breakdown of the validity of the semiclassical transport description is expected, necessitating the use of quantum-kinetic models, such as the one presented here.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 69%

“…Perfect carrier selectivity is enforced by setting Σ B c (z min ) = Σ B v (z max ) = 0. This prevents the leakage of carriers under optical and electronic injection [11].…”

Section: B Quantum-kinetic Simulationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Furthermore, it is common to Urs Aeberhard is with the Institute of Energy and Climate ResearchPhotovoltaics (IEK-5), Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany email: u.aeberhard@fz-juelich.de. block minority carriers at the contacts by corresponding barrier layers, which results in regions where transport may no longer be described by semiclassical theory [11].…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Simulation of Ultrathin Solar Cells Beyond the Limits of the Semiclassical Bulk Picture

Aeberhard

2016

IEEE J. Photovoltaics

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Abstract-The photovoltaic characteristics of an ultrathin GaAs solar cell with a gold back reflector are simulated using the standard semiclassical drift-diffusion-Poisson model and an advanced microscopic quantum-kinetic approach based on the nonequilibrium Green's function (NEGF) formalism. For the standard assumption of flat-band bulk absorption coefficient used in the semiclassical model, substantial qualitative and quantitative discrepancies are identified between the results of the two approaches. The agreement is improved by consideration of field-dependent absorption and emission coefficients in the semiclassical model, revealing the strong impact of the large built-in potential gradients in ultrathin device architectures based on high-quality crystalline materials. The full quantumkinetic simulation results for the device characteristics can be reproduced by using the NEGF generation and recombination rates in the semiclassical model, pointing at an essentially bulklike transport mechanism.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 69%

“…Perfect carrier selectivity is enforced by setting Σ B c (z min ) = Σ B v (z max ) = 0. This prevents the leakage of carriers under optical and electronic injection [11].…”

Section: B Quantum-kinetic Simulationmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Simulation of Ultrathin Solar Cells Beyond the Limits of the Semiclassical Bulk Picture

Aeberhard

2016

IEEE J. Photovoltaics

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“…The second feature that is characteristic for nanoscale absorbers concerns finite size effects related to contact regions that span a non-negligible fraction of the active device and which have a measurable impact on the overall device performance [43]. In the case of GaAs, suitable contact layers can be engineered using alloys such as AlGaAs [39] or InGaP [38] or a combination thereof [26]. The ideally selective contact blocks reverse current flow -i.e., leakage current -of minority carriers completely, while majority carriers are extracted without barrier.…”

Section: Ultra-thin Solar Cellsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Quantum-kinetic perspective on photovoltaic device operation in nanostructure-based solar cells

Aeberhard

2018

J. Mater. Res.

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The implementation of a wide range of novel concepts for next-generation high-efficiency solar cells is based on nanostructures with configuration-tunable optoelectronic properties. On the other hand, effective nano-optical light-trapping concepts enable the use of ultra-thin absorber architectures. In both cases, the local density of electronic and optical states deviates strongly from that in a homogeneous bulk material. At the same time, non-local and coherent phenomena like tunneling or ballistic transport become increasingly relevant. As a consequence, the semiclassical, diffusive bulk picture conventionally assumed may no longer be appropriate to describe the physical processes of generation, transport, and recombination governing the photovoltaic operation of such devices. In this review, we provide a quantumkinetic perspective on photovoltaic device operation that reaches beyond the limits of the standard simulation models for bulk solar cells. Deviations from bulk physics are assessed in ultra-thin film and nanostructure-based solar cell architectures by comparing the predictions of the semi-classical models for key physical quantities such as absorption coefficients, emission spectra, generation and recombination rates as well as potentials, densities and currents with the corresponding properties as given by a more fundamental description based on non-equilibrium quantum statistical mechanics. This advanced approach, while paving the way to a comprehensive quantum theory of photovoltaics, bridges simulations at microscopic material and macroscopic device levels by providing the charge carrier dynamics at the mesoscale.

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“…Furthermore, it is common to Urs Aeberhard is with the Institute of Energy and Climate Research -Photovoltaics (IEK-5), Forschungszentrum Jülich, 52425 Jülich, Germany email: u.aeberhard@fz-juelich.de. block minority carriers at the contacts by corresponding barrier layers, which results in regions where transport may no longer be described by semiclassical theory [11].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Simulation of ultra-thin solar cells beyond the semi-classical bulk picture

Aeberhard¹

2017

2017 IEEE 44th Photovoltaic Specialist Conference (PVSC)

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The photovoltaic characteristics of an ultrathin GaAs solar cell with a gold back reflector are simulated using the standard semiclassical drift-diffusion-Poisson model and an advanced microscopic quantum-kinetic approach based on the nonequilibrium Green's function (NEGF) formalism. For the standard assumption of flat-band bulk absorption coefficient used in the semiclassical model, substantial qualitative and quantitative discrepancies are identified between the results of the two approaches. The agreement is improved by consideration of field-dependent absorption and emission coefficients in the semiclassical model, revealing the strong impact of the large built-in potential gradients in ultrathin device architectures based on high-quality crystalline materials. The full quantumkinetic simulation results for the device characteristics can be reproduced by using the NEGF generation and recombination rates in the semiclassical model, pointing at an essentially bulklike transport mechanism.

show abstract

Reflective Barrier Optimization in Ultrathin Single-Junction GaAs Solar Cell

Cited by 14 publications

References 14 publications

Simulation of Ultrathin Solar Cells Beyond the Limits of the Semiclassical Bulk Picture

Simulation of Ultrathin Solar Cells Beyond the Limits of the Semiclassical Bulk Picture

Quantum-kinetic perspective on photovoltaic device operation in nanostructure-based solar cells

Simulation of ultra-thin solar cells beyond the semi-classical bulk picture

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