Ferromagnetic compounds for high efficiency photovoltaic conversion: the case of AlP:Cr.
The photovoltaic conversion efficiency in usual semiconductors is limited to 30% while thermodynamics sets an upper limit of above 70%. Here we show how efficiencies in the 50% range could be achieved using carefully chosen magnetic doping in wide gap semiconductors. To meet the requirement to obtain useful compounds we propose rules and a selection method based on ab initio calculations coupled with material efficiency predictions. As a result of an investigation over hundreds of compounds, AlP:Cr was found to be the most promising semiconductor.
Olsson
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P
IRDEP, UMR-7174 CNRS ENSCP EDF R&D, 6 quai Watier, F-78401 Chatou, France and EDF R&D, Département MMC, Les Renardières, F-77250 Moret sur Loing, France.
Domain
C
C
Guillemoles
J-F
JF