title: Strong enhancement of solar cell efficiency due to quantum dots with built-in charge.
abstract: We report a 50% increase in the power conversion efficiency of InAs/GaAs quantum dot solar cells due to n-doping of the interdot space. The n-doped device was compared with GaAs reference cell, undoped, and p-doped devices. We found that the quantum dots with built-in charge (Q-BIC) enhance electron intersubband quantum dot transitions, suppress fast electron capture processes, and preclude deterioration of the open circuit voltage in the n-doped structures. These factors lead to enhanced harvesting and efficient conversion of IR energy in the Q-BIC solar cells.
authors.affiliation: U.S. Army Research Laboratory, Adelphi, Maryland 20783, United States.
authors.forename: Kimberly A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Sablon
authors.forename: John W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Little
authors.forename: Vladimir
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mitin
authors.forename: Andrei
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sergeev
authors.forename: Nizami
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Vagidov
authors.forename: Kitt
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Reinhardt
mesh_terms: D001152:Arsenicals / Q000737:chemistry*; D011211:Electric Power Supplies; D005708:Gallium / Q000737:chemistry*; D007204:Indium / Q000737:chemistry*; D045663:Quantum Dots; D012993:Solar Energy; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D001152:Arsenicals; D007204:Indium; C043055:gallium arsenide; D005708:Gallium; C076773:indium arsenide