TY - GEN
T1 - Ultrafast carrier relaxation and nonequilibrium phonons in hot carrier solar cells
AU - Goodnick, Stephen
AU - Honsberg, Christiana
PY - 2011/12/1
Y1 - 2011/12/1
N2 - Third generation concepts in photovoltaic devices depend critically on the dynamics of ultrafast carrier relaxation and electron-phonon interactions on very short times scales in nanostructures such as quantum wells, wires and dots. Hot carrier solar cells in particular depend on the reduction in the energy relaxation rate in an absorber material, where hot carriers are extracted through energy selective contacts. Here we investigate the short time carrier relaxation in quantum well, hot electron solar cells under varying photoexcitation conditions using ensemble Monte Carlo (EMC) simulation coupled with rate equation models, to understand the limiting factors affecting cell performance. In particular, we focus on the potential role of hot phonons in reducing the energy loss rate in order to achieve sufficient carrier temperature for efficient performance.
AB - Third generation concepts in photovoltaic devices depend critically on the dynamics of ultrafast carrier relaxation and electron-phonon interactions on very short times scales in nanostructures such as quantum wells, wires and dots. Hot carrier solar cells in particular depend on the reduction in the energy relaxation rate in an absorber material, where hot carriers are extracted through energy selective contacts. Here we investigate the short time carrier relaxation in quantum well, hot electron solar cells under varying photoexcitation conditions using ensemble Monte Carlo (EMC) simulation coupled with rate equation models, to understand the limiting factors affecting cell performance. In particular, we focus on the potential role of hot phonons in reducing the energy loss rate in order to achieve sufficient carrier temperature for efficient performance.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84861019601&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84861019601&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1109/PVSC.2011.6186359
DO - 10.1109/PVSC.2011.6186359
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:84861019601
SN - 9781424499656
T3 - Conference Record of the IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference
SP - 2066
EP - 2070
BT - Program - 37th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, PVSC 2011
T2 - 37th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, PVSC 2011
Y2 - 19 June 2011 through 24 June 2011
ER -