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Quantum-kinetic perspective on photovoltaic device operation in nanostructure-based solar cells

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 January 2018

Urs Aeberhard Open the ORCID record for Urs Aeberhard [Opens in a new window]
Urs Aeberhard*
Affiliation:
IEK-5 Photovoltaik, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich 52425, Germany
*
a)Address all correspondence to this author. e-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

The implementation of a wide range of high-efficiency solar cell concepts is based on nanostructures with configuration-tunable optoelectronic properties. On the other hand, effective nano-optical light-trapping concepts enable the use of ultra-thin absorber architectures. In both cases, the local density of electronic and optical states deviates strongly from that of a homogeneous bulk material. At the same time, nonlocal and coherent phenomena like tunneling or ballistic transport become increasingly relevant. As a consequence, the semiclassical, diffusive bulk picture may no longer be appropriate to describe the physics of such devices. In this review, we provide a quantum-kinetic perspective on photovoltaic device operation that reaches beyond the limits of the standard simulation models for bulk solar cells. Deviations from bulk physics are assessed in ultra-thin film and nanostructure-based solar cell architectures by comparing predictions of semiclassical models with those of a more fundamental description based on nonequilibrium quantum statistical mechanics.

Keywords

photovoltaicsimulationnanostructure
Type
Invited Review
Information
Journal of Materials Research , Volume 33 , Issue 4 , 28 February 2018 , pp. 373 - 386
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Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2018 

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Footnotes

Contributing Editor: Sam Zhang

References

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