Proposal of high efficiency solar cells with closely stacked InAs/In{sub 0.48}Ga{sub 0.52}P quantum dot superlattices: Analysis of polarized absorption characteristics via intermediate–band

Journal Article · Mon Jul 07 00:00:00 EDT 2014 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4889805· OSTI ID:22303934

Kotani, T.; Kuzumoto, Y.; Izumi, M.; Tomomura, Y.; Hamaguchi, C. ^[1]

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1. Advanced Technology Research Laboratories, Sharp Corporation Tenri, Nara 632-8567 (Japan)

We present a theoretical study of the electronic structures and polarized absorption properties of quantum dot superlattices (QDSLs) using wide–gap matrix material, InAs/In{sub 0.48}Ga{sub 0.52}P QDSLs, for realizing intermediate–band solar cells (IBSCs) with two–step photon–absorption. The plane–wave expanded Burt–Foreman operator ordered 8–band k·p theory is used for this calculation, where strain effect and piezoelectric effect are taken into account. We find that the absorption spectra of the second transitions of two–step photon–absorption can be shifted to higher energy region by using In{sub 0.48}Ga{sub 0.52}P, which is lattice–matched material to GaAs substrate, as a matrix material instead of GaAs. We also find that the transverse magnetic polarized absorption spectra in InAs/In{sub 0.48}Ga{sub 0.52}P QDSL with a separate IB from the rest of the conduction minibands can be shifted to higher energy region by decreasing the QD height. As a result, the second transitions of two–step photon–absorption by the sunlight occur efficiently. These results indicate that InAs/In{sub 0.48}Ga{sub 0.52}P QDSLs are suitable material combination of IBSCs toward the realization of ultrahigh efficiency solar cells.

• OSTI ID: 22303934
• Journal Information: Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 105, Issue 1; Other Information: (c) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0003-6951
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
ABSORPTION
ABSORPTION SPECTRA
EFFICIENCY
ELECTRONIC STRUCTURE
GALLIUM ARSENIDES
GALLIUM COMPOUNDS
INDIUM ARSENIDES
INDIUM COMPOUNDS
MATRIX MATERIALS
PHOSPHORUS COMPOUNDS
PHOTONS
PIEZOELECTRICITY
QUANTUM DOTS
SIMULATION
SOLAR CELLS
STRAINS
SUBSTRATES
SUPERLATTICES
WAVE PROPAGATION