Nanoplates and their suitability for use as solar cells

摘要

The use of p-n junction nanowires as solar cells has received an increased amount of attention with results published on both individual silicon nanowires functioning as nano-solar cells and on larger surface areas covered with silicon nanowires. The results obtained using the nanowire geometry are promising and show a new direction towards a high efficiency/low cost solar cell. Here we suggest the use of a different nanostructure geometry namely nanoplates which are fabricated using group III-V materials. The key properties of the InAs nanoplates are described and results from overgrowing them with a GaAs layer shown. Different ways to implement the nanoplate geometry into a solar cell are suggested and the very first results from the characterization of a single InAs-GaAs n-p junction nanoplate solar cell presented.