Control of hot carrier thermalization in type-II quantum wells: A route to practical hot carrier solar cells

H. Esmaielpour; V. R. Whiteside; H. P. Piyathilaka; S. Vijeyaragunathan; B. Wang; K. P. Roberts; T. D. Mishima; M. P. Lumb; M. B. Santos; A. D. Bristow; I. R. Sellers

doi:10.1109/PVSC.2018.8548086

Control of hot carrier thermalization in type-II quantum wells: A route to practical hot carrier solar cells

H. Esmaielpour
, V. R. Whiteside
, H. P. Piyathilaka
, S. Vijeyaragunathan
, B. Wang
, K. P. Roberts
, T. D. Mishima
, M. P. Lumb
, M. B. Santos
, A. D. Bristow
, I. R. Sellers

Department of Electrical Engineering

University of Oklahoma
West Virginia University
University of Tulsa
Naval Research Laboratory
George Washington University

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

Abstract

Hot carrier distributions generated by the absorption of high-energy photons typically etherealize rapidly via various phonon-mediated relaxation processes. In this paper, it is shown that type-II quantum wells (QWs) exhibit stable non-equilibrium carrier distributions, which can be manipulated and stabilized independent of the photonic dispersion of the constituent materials. Moreover, it will be shown that the reduced overlap between electron and hole wave functions in type-II QWs, which inhibit radioactive recombination, play a critical role in hot carrier thermalization in these systems. Current-voltage characteristics from analogous MQW p-i-n structures show enhanced hot carrier photocurrent extraction with increasing optical excitation power. Specifically, upon increased photo-excitation the elevated thermal energy in the carrier distribution results in the tunneling of hot electrons from the QW and increased photo carrier collection.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	2018 IEEE 7th World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion, WCPEC 2018 - A Joint Conference of 45th IEEE PVSC, 28th PVSEC and 34th EU PVSEC
Publisher	Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.
Pages	3682-3684
Number of pages	3
ISBN (Electronic)	9781538685297
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC.2018.8548086
State	Published - Nov 26 2018
Event	7th IEEE World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion, WCPEC 2018 - Waikoloa Village, United States Duration: Jun 10 2018 → Jun 15 2018

Publication series

Name	2018 IEEE 7th World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion, WCPEC 2018 - A Joint Conference of 45th IEEE PVSC, 28th PVSEC and 34th EU PVSEC

Conference

Conference	7th IEEE World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion, WCPEC 2018
Country/Territory	United States
City	Waikoloa Village
Period	06/10/18 → 06/15/18

Keywords

Hot carrier solar cells
phonon bottleneck
thermalization
type-II band alignment

Access to Document

10.1109/PVSC.2018.8548086

Cite this

Esmaielpour, H., Whiteside, V. R., Piyathilaka, H. P., Vijeyaragunathan, S., Wang, B., Roberts, K. P., Mishima, T. D., Lumb, M. P., Santos, M. B., Bristow, A. D., & Sellers, I. R. (2018). Control of hot carrier thermalization in type-II quantum wells: A route to practical hot carrier solar cells. In 2018 IEEE 7th World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion, WCPEC 2018 - A Joint Conference of 45th IEEE PVSC, 28th PVSEC and 34th EU PVSEC (pp. 3682-3684). Article 8548086 (2018 IEEE 7th World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion, WCPEC 2018 - A Joint Conference of 45th IEEE PVSC, 28th PVSEC and 34th EU PVSEC). Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.. https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC.2018.8548086

Esmaielpour, H. ; Whiteside, V. R. ; Piyathilaka, H. P. et al. / Control of hot carrier thermalization in type-II quantum wells : A route to practical hot carrier solar cells. 2018 IEEE 7th World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion, WCPEC 2018 - A Joint Conference of 45th IEEE PVSC, 28th PVSEC and 34th EU PVSEC. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc., 2018. pp. 3682-3684 (2018 IEEE 7th World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion, WCPEC 2018 - A Joint Conference of 45th IEEE PVSC, 28th PVSEC and 34th EU PVSEC).

@inproceedings{93a89ad751e44cdfa64ac016665febef,

title = "Control of hot carrier thermalization in type-II quantum wells: A route to practical hot carrier solar cells",

abstract = "Hot carrier distributions generated by the absorption of high-energy photons typically etherealize rapidly via various phonon-mediated relaxation processes. In this paper, it is shown that type-II quantum wells (QWs) exhibit stable non-equilibrium carrier distributions, which can be manipulated and stabilized independent of the photonic dispersion of the constituent materials. Moreover, it will be shown that the reduced overlap between electron and hole wave functions in type-II QWs, which inhibit radioactive recombination, play a critical role in hot carrier thermalization in these systems. Current-voltage characteristics from analogous MQW p-i-n structures show enhanced hot carrier photocurrent extraction with increasing optical excitation power. Specifically, upon increased photo-excitation the elevated thermal energy in the carrier distribution results in the tunneling of hot electrons from the QW and increased photo carrier collection.",

keywords = "Hot carrier solar cells, phonon bottleneck, thermalization, type-II band alignment",

author = "H. Esmaielpour and Whiteside, \{V. R.\} and Piyathilaka, \{H. P.\} and S. Vijeyaragunathan and B. Wang and Roberts, \{K. P.\} and Mishima, \{T. D.\} and Lumb, \{M. P.\} and Santos, \{M. B.\} and Bristow, \{A. D.\} and Sellers, \{I. R.\}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2018 IEEE.; 7th IEEE World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion, WCPEC 2018 ; Conference date: 10-06-2018 Through 15-06-2018",

year = "2018",

month = nov,

day = "26",

doi = "10.1109/PVSC.2018.8548086",

language = "English",

series = "2018 IEEE 7th World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion, WCPEC 2018 - A Joint Conference of 45th IEEE PVSC, 28th PVSEC and 34th EU PVSEC",

publisher = "Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.",

pages = "3682--3684",

booktitle = "2018 IEEE 7th World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion, WCPEC 2018 - A Joint Conference of 45th IEEE PVSC, 28th PVSEC and 34th EU PVSEC",

address = "United States",

}

Esmaielpour, H, Whiteside, VR, Piyathilaka, HP, Vijeyaragunathan, S, Wang, B, Roberts, KP, Mishima, TD, Lumb, MP, Santos, MB, Bristow, AD & Sellers, IR 2018, Control of hot carrier thermalization in type-II quantum wells: A route to practical hot carrier solar cells. in 2018 IEEE 7th World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion, WCPEC 2018 - A Joint Conference of 45th IEEE PVSC, 28th PVSEC and 34th EU PVSEC., 8548086, 2018 IEEE 7th World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion, WCPEC 2018 - A Joint Conference of 45th IEEE PVSC, 28th PVSEC and 34th EU PVSEC, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc., pp. 3682-3684, 7th IEEE World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion, WCPEC 2018, Waikoloa Village, United States, 06/10/18. https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC.2018.8548086

Control of hot carrier thermalization in type-II quantum wells: A route to practical hot carrier solar cells. / Esmaielpour, H.; Whiteside, V. R.; Piyathilaka, H. P. et al.
2018 IEEE 7th World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion, WCPEC 2018 - A Joint Conference of 45th IEEE PVSC, 28th PVSEC and 34th EU PVSEC. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc., 2018. p. 3682-3684 8548086 (2018 IEEE 7th World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion, WCPEC 2018 - A Joint Conference of 45th IEEE PVSC, 28th PVSEC and 34th EU PVSEC).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

TY - GEN

T1 - Control of hot carrier thermalization in type-II quantum wells

T2 - 7th IEEE World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion, WCPEC 2018

AU - Esmaielpour, H.

AU - Whiteside, V. R.

AU - Piyathilaka, H. P.

AU - Vijeyaragunathan, S.

AU - Wang, B.

AU - Roberts, K. P.

AU - Mishima, T. D.

AU - Lumb, M. P.

AU - Santos, M. B.

AU - Bristow, A. D.

AU - Sellers, I. R.

PY - 2018/11/26

Y1 - 2018/11/26

N2 - Hot carrier distributions generated by the absorption of high-energy photons typically etherealize rapidly via various phonon-mediated relaxation processes. In this paper, it is shown that type-II quantum wells (QWs) exhibit stable non-equilibrium carrier distributions, which can be manipulated and stabilized independent of the photonic dispersion of the constituent materials. Moreover, it will be shown that the reduced overlap between electron and hole wave functions in type-II QWs, which inhibit radioactive recombination, play a critical role in hot carrier thermalization in these systems. Current-voltage characteristics from analogous MQW p-i-n structures show enhanced hot carrier photocurrent extraction with increasing optical excitation power. Specifically, upon increased photo-excitation the elevated thermal energy in the carrier distribution results in the tunneling of hot electrons from the QW and increased photo carrier collection.

AB - Hot carrier distributions generated by the absorption of high-energy photons typically etherealize rapidly via various phonon-mediated relaxation processes. In this paper, it is shown that type-II quantum wells (QWs) exhibit stable non-equilibrium carrier distributions, which can be manipulated and stabilized independent of the photonic dispersion of the constituent materials. Moreover, it will be shown that the reduced overlap between electron and hole wave functions in type-II QWs, which inhibit radioactive recombination, play a critical role in hot carrier thermalization in these systems. Current-voltage characteristics from analogous MQW p-i-n structures show enhanced hot carrier photocurrent extraction with increasing optical excitation power. Specifically, upon increased photo-excitation the elevated thermal energy in the carrier distribution results in the tunneling of hot electrons from the QW and increased photo carrier collection.

KW - Hot carrier solar cells

KW - phonon bottleneck

KW - thermalization

KW - type-II band alignment

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85059913167

U2 - 10.1109/PVSC.2018.8548086

DO - 10.1109/PVSC.2018.8548086

M3 - Conference contribution

AN - SCOPUS:85059913167

T3 - 2018 IEEE 7th World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion, WCPEC 2018 - A Joint Conference of 45th IEEE PVSC, 28th PVSEC and 34th EU PVSEC

SP - 3682

EP - 3684

BT - 2018 IEEE 7th World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion, WCPEC 2018 - A Joint Conference of 45th IEEE PVSC, 28th PVSEC and 34th EU PVSEC

PB - Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.

Y2 - 10 June 2018 through 15 June 2018

ER -

Esmaielpour H, Whiteside VR, Piyathilaka HP, Vijeyaragunathan S, Wang B, Roberts KP et al. Control of hot carrier thermalization in type-II quantum wells: A route to practical hot carrier solar cells. In 2018 IEEE 7th World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion, WCPEC 2018 - A Joint Conference of 45th IEEE PVSC, 28th PVSEC and 34th EU PVSEC. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc. 2018. p. 3682-3684. 8548086. (2018 IEEE 7th World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion, WCPEC 2018 - A Joint Conference of 45th IEEE PVSC, 28th PVSEC and 34th EU PVSEC). doi: 10.1109/PVSC.2018.8548086

Control of hot carrier thermalization in type-II quantum wells: A route to practical hot carrier solar cells

Abstract

Publication series

Conference

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this