Tuning up the performance of GaAs-based solar cells by inelastic scattering on quantum dots and doping of AlyGa1-ySb type-II dots and AlxGa1-xAs spacers between dots

TL;DR

This paper presents a theoretical study on enhancing GaAs-based solar cell efficiency by using inelastic scattering on AlGaSb/AlGaAs quantum dots and doping strategies, predicting a significant efficiency increase under concentrated sunlight.

Contribution

It introduces a novel approach combining quantum dot scattering and doping to reduce recombination and improve GaAs solar cell performance.

Findings

Efficiency increases from 35% to 40% under 500-sun concentration.

Inelastic scattering on quantum dots reduces recombination.

Doping of quantum dots and spacers enhances photovoltaic performance.

Abstract

We used AlGaSb/AlGaAs material system for a theoretical study of photovoltaic performance of the proposed GaAs-based solar cell in which the type-II quantum dot (QDs) absorber is spatially separated from the depletion region. Due to inelastic scattering of photoelectrons on QDs and proper doping of both QDs and their spacers, concentrated sunlight is predicted to quench recombination through QDs. Our calculation shows that 500-sun concentration can increase the Shockley-Queisser limit from 35% to 40% for GaAs single-junction solar cells.