Hot-carrier photocatalysts with energy-selective contacts based on quantum wells and dots

TL;DR

This study uses simulations to explore hot-carrier photocatalysts with quantum well and dot energy-selective contacts, revealing that optimizing ESC placement and width enhances efficiency, with quantum dots outperforming wells.

Contribution

It introduces a simulation framework for HCPCs with quantum well and dot ESCs, highlighting the impact of ESC design on performance and efficiency.

Findings

Thermalization loss from non-ideal ESCs reduces HCPC efficiency.

Optimizing ESC position and width improves HCPC performance.

Quantum dot ESCs outperform quantum well ESCs in HCPCs.

Abstract

In this paper, we simulate the function of hot-carrier photocatalysts (HCPCs) with quantum well and quantum dot energy-selective contacts (ESCs) in the water-splitting reaction. The transport equations for these ESCs are derived by using ballistic transport theory. The results indicate that thermalization loss from non-ideal ESCs is a primary factor diminishing the efficiency of HCPCs. The performance of HCPCs can be enhanced by optimizing the position of ESCs and the width of the extraction energy. Notably, HCPCs with quantum dot ESCs demonstrate superior performance compared to those with quantum well ESCs.