J. Semicond. > 2015, Volume 36 > Issue 4 > 042001

SEMICONDUCTOR PHYSICS

The effect of multi-intermediate bands on the behavior of an InAs1-xNx/GaAs1-ySby quantum dot solar cell

Abou El-Maaty M. Aly1, 3 and A. Nasr2, 3

+ Author Affiliations

 Corresponding author: Abou El-Maaty M. Aly, E-mail: abouelmaaty67@gmail.com; A. Nasr, E-mail: ashraf.nasr@gmail.com

DOI: 10.1088/1674-4926/36/4/042001

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Abstract: A mathematical model of quantum dot intermediate band solar cells (QDIBSCs) is investigated using two intermediate bands (IBs). These two IBs arise from the quantum dot (QD) semiconductor material within the bandgap energy. Some parameters such as the width of the QD (WQD) and the barrier thickness or the inter-dot distances between the QDs (BT) are studied to show their influence on the performance of the QDIBSC. The time-independent Schrödinger equation, which is solved using the Kronig-Penney model, is used to determine the position and bandwidth energies of the two IBs. In our proposed model, the cubic shape of the QDs from InAs0.9N0.1 and the barrier or host semiconductor material from GaAs0.98Sb0.02 are utilized. It is shown from the results obtained that changing the parameters WQD and BT has more influence on the bandwidth energy for the first IB, Δ1, than in the case of the second IB, Δ2. The optimum power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of the QDIBSCs with two IBs for the model under study are 58.01% and 73.55% at 1 Sun and maximum solar concentration, respectively. One can observe that, in the case of the two IBs, an improvement of the PCE is achieved.

Key words: intermediate bands, solar cells, quantum dots, efficiency, solar concentration



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Fig. 1.  The energy diagram of the InAs$_{1-x}$N$_{x}$/GaAs$_{1-y}$Sb$_{y}$ QDIBSC with four energy bands (VB,IB$_{1}$,IB$_{2}$,and CB),chemical potentials ($\mu )$,and quasi Fermi levels ($f_{\rm c}$,$f_{\rm I_1}$,$f_{\rm I_2}$,$f_{\rm v})$.

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Fig. 2.  The bandwidth energy behavior of the IB$_{1}$,$\Delta_{1}$,as a function of both QD width,$W_{\rm QD}$,and barrier thickness,$B_{\rm T}$,for the two IBs QDIBSC model.

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Fig. 3.  The bandwidth energy behavior of the IB$_{2}$,$\Delta_{2}$,as a function of both QD width,$W_{\rm QD}$,and barrier thickness,$B_{\rm T}$,for the two IBs QDIBSC model.

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Fig. 4.  The contours of sub-bandgap energies (a) $E_{\rm CI_2}$,(b) $E_{\rm I_1I_2}$,and (c) $E_{\rm VI_1}$ resulting from the variations of $W_{\rm QD}$ and $B_{\rm T}$ for the two IBs QDIBSC.

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Fig. 5.  The relation between the sub-bandgap energies ($E_{\rm VI_1}$,$E_{\rm I_1I_2}$,and $E_{\rm CI_2})$ and both $W_{\rm QD}$ and $B_{\rm T}$ for the two-IB QDIBSC.

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Fig. 6.  The PCE behavior of the two IBs QDIBSC as a function of both QD width,$W_{\rm QD}$,and barrier thickness,$B_{\rm T}$,for 1 Sun solar concentration.

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Fig. 7.  The PCE behavior of the two IBs QDIBSC as a function of both QD width,$W_{\rm QD}$,and barrier thickness,$B_{\rm T}$,for maximum solar concentration.

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Table 1.   Parameters for the suggested two IBs QDIBSC,InAs$_{1-x}$N$_{x}$/GaAs$_{1-y}$Sb$_{y}$.

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Table 2.   The optimum PCE and simultaneous values of the InAs$_{0.9}$N$_{0.1}$/GaAs$_{0.98}$Sb$_{0.02}$ two IBs QDIBSC parameters under 1~Sun and maximum solar concentration.

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    Received: 02 September 2014 Revised: Online: Published: 01 April 2015

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      Article Navigation >  Journal of Semiconductors  > 2015  >  36(4): 042001
      Abou El-Maaty M. Aly, A. Nasr. The effect of multi-intermediate bands on the behavior of an InAs1-xNx/GaAs1-ySby quantum dot solar cell[J]. Journal of Semiconductors, 2015, 36(4): 042001. doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/36/4/042001 ****A. E. M. M. Aly, A. Nasr. The effect of multi-intermediate bands on the behavior of an InAs1-xNx/GaAs1-ySby quantum dot solar cell[J]. J. Semicond., 2015, 36(4): 042001. doi:  10.1088/1674-4926/36/4/042001.
      Citation:
      Abou El-Maaty M. Aly, A. Nasr. The effect of multi-intermediate bands on the behavior of an InAs1-xNx/GaAs1-ySby quantum dot solar cell[J]. Journal of Semiconductors, 2015, 36(4): 042001. doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/36/4/042001 ****
      A. E. M. M. Aly, A. Nasr. The effect of multi-intermediate bands on the behavior of an InAs1-xNx/GaAs1-ySby quantum dot solar cell[J]. J. Semicond., 2015, 36(4): 042001. doi:  10.1088/1674-4926/36/4/042001.
      shu

      The effect of multi-intermediate bands on the behavior of an InAs1-xNx/GaAs1-ySby quantum dot solar cell

      DOI: 10.1088/1674-4926/36/4/042001
      • 1.

        Power Electronics and Energy Conversion Department, ERI, NRCB, Egypt

      • 2.

        Radiation Engineering Department, NCRRT, Atomic Energy Authority, Egypt

      • 3.

        College of Computer, Qassim University, P.O.B. 6688, Buryadah 51453, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

      More Information
      • Corresponding author: E-mail: abouelmaaty67@gmail.com; E-mail: ashraf.nasr@gmail.com
      • Received Date: 2014-09-02
      • Published Date: 2015-01-25

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