Carrier Dynamics in Quantum Dots and Quantum Dot Arrays and their Role in Quantum Dot Solar Cells

摘要

The maximum thermodynamic efficiency for the conversion of unconcentrated solar irradiance into electrical free energy in the radiative limit assuming detailed balance,a single threshold absorber,and electron-phonon equilibrium was calculated by Shockley and Queissar in 1961 to be about Slenergy.This efficiency is attainable in semiconductors with band gaps ranging from about 1.25 to 1.45 eV.Since conversion efficiency is one of the most important parameters to optimize for implementing photovoltaic and photochemical cells on a truly large scale several schemes for exceeding the Shockley-Queissar (S-Q) limit have been proposed and are under active investigation.