Carrier Multiplication in Isolated and Interacting Silicon Nanocrystals

2015 ◽  
pp. 191-216 ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. 343-352 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ivan Marri ◽  
Marco Govoni ◽  
Stefano Ossicini

One of the most important goals in the field of renewable energy is the development of original solar cell schemes employing new materials to overcome the performance limitations of traditional solar cell devices. Among such innovative materials, nanostructures have emerged as an important class of materials that can be used to realize efficient photovoltaic devices. When these systems are implemented into solar cells, new effects can be exploited to maximize the harvest of solar radiation and to minimize the loss factors. In this context, carrier multiplication seems one promising way to minimize the effects induced by thermalization loss processes thereby significantly increasing the solar cell power conversion. In this work we analyze and quantify different types of carrier multiplication decay dynamics by analyzing systems of isolated and coupled silicon nanocrystals. The effects on carrier multiplication dynamics by energy and charge transfer processes are also discussed.


2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anoop Gupta ◽  
Folarin Erogbogbo ◽  
Mark T. Swihart ◽  
Hartmut Wiggers

2003 ◽  
Vol 770 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathanael Smith ◽  
Max J. Lederer ◽  
Marek Samoc ◽  
Barry Luther-Davies ◽  
Robert G. Elliman

AbstractOptical pump-probe measurements were performed on planar slab waveguides containing silicon nanocrystals in an attempt to measure optical gain from photo-excited silicon nanocrystals. Two experiments were performed, one with a continuous-wave probe beam and a pulsed pump beam, giving a time resolution of approximately 25 ns, and the other with a pulsed pump and probe beam, giving a time resolution of approximately 10 ps. In both cases the intensity of the probe beam was found to be attenuated by the pump beam, with the attenuation increasing monotonically with increasing pump power. Time-resolved measurements using the first experimental arrangement showed that the probe signal recovered its initial intensity on a time scale of 45-70 μs, a value comparable to the exciton lifetime in Si nanocrystals. These data are shown to be consistent with an induced absorption process such as confined carrier absorption. No evidence for optical gain was observed.


2009 ◽  
Vol 41 (6) ◽  
pp. 998-1001 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Grün ◽  
P. Miska ◽  
E. Neu ◽  
D. Steinmetz ◽  
F. Montaigne ◽  
...  
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