GaAs nanowire array solar cells with axial p-i-n junctions.

Nano Lett

Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical Engineering and Center for Energy Nanoscience, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, United States.

Published: June 2014

Because of unique structural, optical, and electrical properties, solar cells based on semiconductor nanowires are a rapidly evolving scientific enterprise. Various approaches employing III-V nanowires have emerged, among which GaAs, especially, is under intense research and development. Most reported GaAs nanowire solar cells form p-n junctions in the radial direction; however, nanowires using axial junction may enable the attainment of high open circuit voltage (Voc) and integration into multijunction solar cells. Here, we report GaAs nanowire solar cells with axial p-i-n junctions that achieve 7.58% efficiency. Simulations show that axial junctions are more tolerant to doping variation than radial junctions and lead to higher Voc under certain conditions. We further study the effect of wire diameter and junction depth using electrical characterization and cathodoluminescence. The results show that large diameter and shallow junctions are essential for a high extraction efficiency. Our approach opens up great opportunity for future low-cost, high-efficiency photovoltaics.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/nl500704rDOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

solar cells
20
gaas nanowire
12
cells axial
8
axial p-i-n
8
p-i-n junctions
8
nanowire solar
8
junctions
6
solar
5
cells
5
gaas
4

Similar Publications

Two new nonfused ring nonfullerene electron acceptors, NFAs, (dicarbazolyl)bis(2-(3-oxo-2,3-dihydro-1-inden-1-ylidene)malononitrile) () and -(2-(5,6-fluoro-3-oxo-2,3-dihydro-1-inden-1-ylidene)malononitrile) (), thus exhibiting an A-D-A motif, were synthesized and characterized. As thin films, they exhibit the lowest energy absorption signature near 540 nm, extending down to ∼700 nm. This band is due to an intramolecular charge transfer process from the (nonfused dicarbazoyl; ) moiety to the malononitrile-based units () based on density functional theory calculations (DFT), which are also corroborated by time-dependent DFT (TDDFT) computations.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

A theoretical comparison of different third component content in ternary organic solar cells.

Phys Chem Chem Phys

January 2025

School of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Jilin Provincial Science and Technology Innovation Center of Optical Materials and Chemistry, Jilin Provincial International Joint Research Center of Photo-functional Materials and Chemistry, Changchun, 130022, China.

Ternary solar cells have been rapidly developed in the realm of organic solar cells (OSCs). The incorporation of a third component into a cell results in a complicated active layer morphology, and the relation of this morphology to power conversion efficiency remains elusive. In this work, two ternary active layers, B1:Y7 (10 wt%):BO-4Cl and B1:Y7 (50 wt%):BO-4Cl are constructed, and the reasons for the differences in PCE caused by varying the Y7 content are investigated using theoretical calculations.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Endohedral vs exohedral boron in C60: Bonding nature and impact on hot-electron relaxation dynamics.

J Chem Phys

January 2025

MOE Key Laboratory for Non-Equilibrium Synthesis and Modulation of Condensed Matter, School of Physics, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, People's Republic of China.

Endohedral and exohedral fullerenes have both been employed as electron acceptors in polymer solar cells (PSCs). However, their differences in hot-electron relaxation dynamics remain unclear. Previous studies have shown that the location of a single atom, whether inside or outside the fullerene cage, results in significant differences in charge distribution.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Lead-free inorganic halide perovskites, specifically BaPX (X = Cl, F, I, Br) have gained attention in green photovoltaics due to their remarkable mechanical, optical, structural, and electronic properties. Using first-principles calculations, we investigated the mechanical, electronic, and optical characteristics of BaPX, revealing direct band gaps at the -symmetry point, assessed with the PBE and HSE functionals. The charge distribution analysis shows strong ionic bonding between Ba and halides and covalent bonding between P and halides.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Recent advances in the reactions of isatin-derived MBH carbonates for the synthesis of spirooxindoles.

Org Biomol Chem

January 2025

Tianjin Key Laboratory of Organic Solar Cells and Photochemical Conversion, School of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Tianjin University of Technology, Tianjin 300384, P. R. China.

As one of the main fragments in medical drugs, spirooxindole has received considerable attention from organic and medicinal chemists. In the past few decades, chemists have been searching for more straightforward and efficient methods to produce compounds containing a spirooxindole fragment. In this regard, isatin-derived Morita-Baylis-Hillman (MBH) carbonates have been widely used as versatile building blocks for the synthesis of spirooxindole structures.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!