scholarly journals Active Materials Based on Implanted Si for Obtaining Intermediate Band Solar Cells

2010 ◽  
Vol 74 ◽  
pp. 151-156 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kefren Sánchez ◽  
Irene Aguilera ◽  
Pablo Palacios ◽  
Perla Wahnón
Keyword(s):  
Solar Spectrum ◽  
Solubility Limit ◽  
Electrical Measurements ◽  
Intermediate Band ◽  
Atomic Structures ◽  
Co Doping ◽  
Intermediate Band Solar Cells ◽  
Diffusion Paths ◽  
High Concentrations ◽  
Formation Energies

First-principles calculations carried out for compounds based on Si implanted with different species, as Ti or chalcogens (S, Se, Te), show them as solid candidates to intermediate band (IB) photovoltaic materials. This DFT study predicts electronic structures, formation energies, relaxed atomic structures, optoelectronic properties, diffusion paths, for supercells containing up to several hundreds of atoms. The knowledge of Si-based devices is a relevant factor to facilitate the creation of an IB solar cell. Crystalline samples with a concentration of Ti several orders of magnitude above the solubility limit have been already grown. Formation energy calculations agree with the experiment in showing mainly interstitial implantation. Calculated electronic structure presents an IB, which is in agreement with electrical measurements and models, and is expected to cause an increase of the absorption coefficient across the solar spectrum. Chalcogen-implanted Si is an efficient IR absorber when implantation is carried out at ultra-high concentrations. Substitutional implantation produces a filled band inside Si band-gap and our calculations predict that plausible co-doping with IIIA atoms (as Al, B) would allow to obtain an IB fulfilling all the needed requirements.

scholarly journals On the Potential of Silicon Intermediate Band Solar Cells

Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (12) ◽  
pp. 3044 ◽  
Author(s):  
Esther López ◽  
Antonio Martí ◽  
Elisa Antolín ◽  
Antonio Luque
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Auger Recombination ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Maximum Efficiency ◽  
Efficiency Gain ◽  
High Concentration ◽  
Intermediate Band ◽  
Intermediate Band Solar Cells ◽  
High Concentrations

Intermediate band solar cells (IBSCs) have an efficiency limit of 63.2%, which is significantly higher than the 40.7% limit for conventional single gap solar cells. In order to achieve the maximum efficiency, the total bandgap of the cell should be in the range of ~2 eV. However, that fact does not prevent other cells based on different semiconductor bandgaps from benefiting from the presence of an intermediate band (IB) within their bandgap. Since silicon (1.12 eV bandgap) is the dominant material in solar cell technology, it is of interest to determine the limit efficiency of a silicon IBSC, because even a modest gain in efficiency could trigger a large commercial interest if the IB is implemented at low cost. In this work we study the limit efficiency of silicon-based IBSCs considering operating conditions that include the use of non-ideal photon casting between the optical transitions, different light intensities and Auger recombination. The results lead to the conclusion that a silicon IBSC, operating under the conventional model in which the sub-bandgaps add to the total silicon gap, provides an efficiency gain if operated in the medium-high concentration range. The performance of these devices is affected by Auger recombination only under extremely high concentrations.

Improved Optical and Electronic Properties of Single-Layer MoS2 by Co Doping for Promising Intermediate - Band Materials

2022 ◽  
Vol 905 ◽  
pp. 96-102
Author(s):  
Ai Yu Li ◽  
Han Xin Shen ◽  
Xiao Chun Wang
Keyword(s):  
Single Layer ◽  
Intermediate Band ◽  
Co Doping ◽  
Intermediate Band Solar Cell ◽  
Photovoltaic Efficiency ◽  
Substitutional Doping ◽  
Intermediate Band Solar Cells ◽  
Optical And Electronic Properties ◽  
Calculated Absorption Spectrum ◽  
Shed Light

Owing to its unique optical and electronic characteristics, two-dimensional MoS2 has been widely explored in the past few years. Using first-principle calculations, we shed light on that the substitutional doping of Co can induce the half-filled intermediate states in the band gap of monolayer MoS2. The calculated absorption spectrum presents an enhancement of the low-energy photons (0.8 eV–1.5 eV), which is desired for intermediate-band solar cells. When the doping concentration increases, the reflectivity of the infrared and visible light (0.8 eV-4.0 eV) reduces, resulting in an improved photovoltaic efficiency of the material. Our results shed light on the application of heavily Co-doped MoS2 as intermediate band solar cell material.

scholarly journals Temperature Dependence of Carrier Extraction Processes in GaSb/AlGaAs Quantum Nanostructure Intermediate-Band Solar Cells

Nanomaterials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 344
Author(s):  
Yasushi Shoji ◽  
Ryo Tamaki ◽  
Yoshitaka Okada
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Molecular Beam ◽  
Optical Excitation ◽  
Material System ◽  
Intermediate Band ◽  
Temperature Characteristics ◽  
Quantum Nanostructures ◽  
Band Engineering ◽  
Intermediate Band Solar Cells ◽  
Carrier Extraction

From the viewpoint of band engineering, the use of GaSb quantum nanostructures is expected to lead to highly efficient intermediate-band solar cells (IBSCs). In IBSCs, current generation via two-step optical excitations through the intermediate band is the key to the operating principle. This mechanism requires the formation of a strong quantum confinement structure. Therefore, we focused on the material system with GaSb quantum nanostructures embedded in AlGaAs layers. However, studies involving crystal growth of GaSb quantum nanostructures on AlGaAs layers have rarely been reported. In our work, we fabricated GaSb quantum dots (QDs) and quantum rings (QRs) on AlGaAs layers via molecular-beam epitaxy. Using the Stranski–Krastanov growth mode, we demonstrated that lens-shaped GaSb QDs can be fabricated on AlGaAs layers. In addition, atomic force microscopy measurements revealed that GaSb QDs could be changed to QRs under irradiation with an As molecular beam even when they were deposited onto AlGaAs layers. We also investigated the suitability of GaSb/AlGaAs QDSCs and QRSCs for use in IBSCs by evaluating the temperature characteristics of their external quantum efficiency. For the GaSb/AlGaAs material system, the QDSC was found to have slightly better two-step optical excitation temperature characteristics than the QRSC.

scholarly journals Molecular beam and pulsed laser deposition of ZnS:Cr for intermediate band solar cells

2015 ◽  
Vol 141 ◽  
pp. 322-330 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammadreza Nematollahi ◽  
Xiaodong Yang ◽  
Lars Martin Sandvik Aas ◽  
Zahra Ghadyani ◽  
Morten Kildemo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Pulsed Laser Deposition ◽  
Molecular Beam ◽  
Pulsed Laser ◽  
Laser Deposition ◽  
Intermediate Band ◽  
Intermediate Band Solar Cells

Investigation of the Sub-Bandgap Photoresponse in CuGaS2 : Fe for Intermediate Band Solar Cells

2011 ◽  
Vol 20 (6) ◽  
pp. 625-629 ◽  
Author(s):  
Björn Marsen ◽  
Sascha Klemz ◽  
Thomas Unold ◽  
Hans-Werner Schock
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Intermediate Band ◽  
Intermediate Band Solar Cells

ADSORPTION AND DIFFUSION OF Si ON THE Si(001): AN EMPIRICAL POTENTIAL CALCULATION

2002 ◽  
Vol 16 (04) ◽  
pp. 621-629 ◽  
Author(s):  
JUN CAI ◽  
JIAN-SHENG WANG
Keyword(s):  
Potential Function ◽  
Binding Sites ◽  
Surface Adsorption ◽  
First Principle ◽  
Empirical Potential ◽  
First Principle Calculations ◽  
Diffusion Paths ◽  
And Diffusion ◽  
Formation Energies ◽  
Diffusion Activation

A recently developed potential function for covalent materials (Phys. Stat. Sol.B212, 9 (1999)) is used to simulate the surface adsorption, and diffusion of Si adtom and ad-dimer on the Si(001) surface. We calculate the formation energies and diffusion activation energies of several possible binding sites. The predicted stable and metastable configurations and diffusion paths of Si ad-atom and Si ad-dimer on Si(001)-(2×1) surface are in agreement with that from the first principle calculations or experiments.

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