Hot-carrier solar cell NEGF-based simulations

Nicolas Cavassilas; Fabienne Michelini; Marc Bescond; Thibault Joie

doi:10.1117/12.2212612

14 March 2016 Hot-carrier solar cell NEGF-based simulations

Nicolas Cavassilas, Fabienne Michelini, Marc Bescond, Thibault Joie

Proceedings Volume 9743, Physics, Simulation, and Photonic Engineering of Photovoltaic Devices V; 97430R (2016) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2212612
Event: SPIE OPTO, 2016, San Francisco, California, United States

Abstract

Ultra thin absorbers for the hot carrier solar cell applications are promising. Indeed, in these ultimate absorbers electronphonon scattering are reduced and thickness can be lower than the electron mean-free-path. In this case carriers reach contact ballistically. However it is important that the contact permits to extract these carriers. This theoretical study is about the extraction of the photogenerated carriers and particularly the ballistic extraction without any scattering. We show that quantum interaction between the ultra-thin absorber and the contact can be used to enhance the extraction. Particularly, a contact composed of a quantum well into a double barrier permits to increase the current compared to a simple contact. This improvement is due to a quantum resonance. This result is interesting for the hot carrier solar cells but also for all the ultra-thin cells.

Citation Download Citation

Nicolas Cavassilas, Fabienne Michelini, Marc Bescond, and Thibault Joie "Hot-carrier solar cell NEGF-based simulations", Proc. SPIE 9743, Physics, Simulation, and Photonic Engineering of Photovoltaic Devices V, 97430R (14 March 2016); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2212612

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available