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Experimental demonstration of hot-carrier photo-current in an InGaAs quantum well solar cell

Journal Article · · Applied Physics Letters
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4883648· OSTI ID:22300006
;  [1]; ;  [2]
  1. U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, 4555 Overlook Ave. SW., Washington, DC 20375 (United States)
  2. Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ (United Kingdom)
An unambiguous observation of hot-carrier photocurrent from an InGaAs single quantum well solar cell is reported. Simultaneous photo-current and photoluminescence measurements were performed for incident power density 0.04–3 kW cm{sup −2}, lattice temperature 10 K, and forward bias 1.2 V. An order of magnitude photocurrent increase was observed for non-equilibrium hot-carrier temperatures >35 K. This photocurrent activation temperature is consistent with that of equilibrium carriers in a lattice at elevated temperature. The observed hot-carrier photo-current is extracted from the well over an energy selective GaAs barrier, thus integrating two essential components of a hot-carrier solar cell: a hot-carrier absorber and an energy selective contact.
OSTI ID:
22300006
Journal Information:
Applied Physics Letters, Journal Name: Applied Physics Letters Journal Issue: 23 Vol. 104; ISSN APPLAB; ISSN 0003-6951
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English