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Two-step photon up-conversion solar cells

Author

Listed:
  • Shigeo Asahi

    (Graduate School of Engineering)

  • Haruyuki Teranishi

    (Graduate School of Engineering)

  • Kazuki Kusaki

    (Graduate School of Engineering)

  • Toshiyuki Kaizu

    (Graduate School of Engineering)

  • Takashi Kita

    (Graduate School of Engineering)

Abstract

Reducing the transmission loss for below-gap photons is a straightforward way to break the limit of the energy-conversion efficiency of solar cells (SCs). The up-conversion of below-gap photons is very promising for generating additional photocurrent. Here we propose a two-step photon up-conversion SC with a hetero-interface comprising different bandgaps of Al0.3Ga0.7As and GaAs. The below-gap photons for Al0.3Ga0.7As excite GaAs and generate electrons at the hetero-interface. The accumulated electrons at the hetero-interface are pumped upwards into the Al0.3Ga0.7As barrier by below-gap photons for GaAs. Efficient two-step photon up-conversion is achieved by introducing InAs quantum dots at the hetero-interface. We observe not only a dramatic increase in the additional photocurrent, which exceeds the reported values by approximately two orders of magnitude, but also an increase in the photovoltage. These results suggest that the two-step photon up-conversion SC has a high potential for implementation in the next-generation high-efficiency SCs.

Suggested Citation

  • Shigeo Asahi & Haruyuki Teranishi & Kazuki Kusaki & Toshiyuki Kaizu & Takashi Kita, 2017. "Two-step photon up-conversion solar cells," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 8(1), pages 1-9, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:8:y:2017:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms14962
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms14962
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    Cited by:

    1. Wu W, Wen & Quezada, George & Schleiger, Emma & Bratanova, Alexandra & Graham, Paul & Spak, B, 2019. "The future of peer-to-peer trading of distributed renewable energy," MPRA Paper 113821, University Library of Munich, Germany.

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