Intermediate band solar cells (IBSCs) promise high efficiencies while maintaining a low device structural complexity. A high efficiency can be obtained by harvesting below-band-gap photons, thus increasing the current, while at the same time preserving a high voltage. Here, we provide experimental proof that below-band-gap photons can be used to produce nonzero electrical work in an IBSC without compromising the voltage.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis study examines the role of the microstructure and optical properties of InGaN/GaN nanowire LED structures on Si(111) having different nanowire coverages. Cathodoluminescence (CL) measurements show that all samples exhibit broad emission around the intended energy, 1.95 eV (635 nm).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWe fabricate site-controlled, ordered arrays of embedded Ga nanoparticles on Si, using a combination of substrate patterning and molecular-beam epitaxial growth. The fabrication process consists of two steps. Ga droplets are initially nucleated in an ordered array of inverted pyramidal pits, and then partially crystallized by exposure to an As flux, which promotes the formation of a GaAs shell that seals the Ga nanoparticle within two semiconductor layers.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWe investigate the nonlinear emission dynamics of quantum dots coupled to photonic crystal cavities in the Purcell regime using luminescence intensity autocorrelation. Two laser pulses with a controlled time delay sequentially excite the coupled system inducing emission that depends on the delay and laser power. We find distinct contrasts between exciton and biexciton emission as a function of time delay which originate from different nonlinearities.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIon beam irradiation has previously been demonstrated as a method for creating nanowire-like semiconductor nanostructures, but no previous studies have reported on the electrical properties of those structures. In this work we describe the creation and in situ transmission electron microscopy electrical characterization of nanoscale InAs spike structures on both InAs and InP substrates fabricated using a focused ion beam erosion method. Those InAs 'nanospikes' are found to possess internal structures with varying amounts of ion damaged and single crystalline material.
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