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Microscopic Theory of Coupled Quantum Well Structures in Photovoltaics

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

Urs Aeberhard  and
Rudolf Morf
Urs Aeberhard
Affiliation:
urs.aeberhard@psi.ch, Paul Scherrer Institute, Condensed Matter Theory, WHGA 127, Villigen PSI West, Villigen, 5232, Switzerland, +41 56 310 53 28, +41 56 310 31 31
Rudolf Morf
Affiliation:
rudolf.morg@psi.ch, Paul Scherrer Institute, Condensed Matter Theory, WHGA 129, Villigen PSI West, Villigen, 5232, Switzerland
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Abstract

We use our recently developed microscopic approach to a quantum theory of photovoltaic processes in nanostructures [1]to investigate geometry effects in quantum well photovoltaics, focussing on the role of asymmetry and inter-well coupling in double quantum well (DQW) systems. For that purpose, the IV and power characteristics for DQW systems with different asymmetry and degree of coupling are calculated numerically in the vicinity of the maximum power point. In order to assess the transport properties of a specific QW structure, we isolate these from the effects of absorption by normalizing to the absorptivity. The results obtained from this procedure reveal the escape regime dominating at room temperature and confirm previous experimental observations.

Keywords

photovoltaicoptical propertiesdevices
Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 1101: Symposium KK – Light Management in Photovoltaic Devices–Theory and Practice , 2008 , 1101-KK07-02
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2008

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References

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