Rights statement: This is an author-created, un-copyedited version of an article accepted for publication/published in Semiconductor Science and Technology. IOP Publishing Ltd is not responsible for any errors or omissions in this version of the manuscript or any version derived from it. The Version of Record is available online at doi:10.1088/1361-6641/ab419f
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Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Hot photons and open-circuit voltage in molecular absorbers
AU - Dzurnak, Branislav
AU - Feng, Tianxian
AU - Danos, Lefteris
AU - Markvart, Tomas
PY - 2019/10/25
Y1 - 2019/10/25
N2 - Hot carrier solar cells have attracted interest for many years. Although no working exemplars exist today, the challenges to overcome have become clearer and a substantial research effort has been underway with a focus on inorganic semiconductors, including quantum wells. In this paper we propose a novel strategy to potentially exploit hot photons, based on organic absorbers. Our approach, when combined with photon management structures similar to photonic fluorescent collectors, can potentially enhance the efficiency of complete photovoltaic devices. We present a characterisation method of fluorescent collectors by evaluating the chemical potential and temperature of the emitted fluorescence photon flux. We report on observation of temperatures of the emitted photon flux well above the ambient temperature, indicating the presence of hot photons. We propose a theoretical background to describe how excess thermal energy carried by hot photons can be exploited to increase the chemical potential of the photon flux which is closely related to the open-circuit voltage of the solar cell.
AB - Hot carrier solar cells have attracted interest for many years. Although no working exemplars exist today, the challenges to overcome have become clearer and a substantial research effort has been underway with a focus on inorganic semiconductors, including quantum wells. In this paper we propose a novel strategy to potentially exploit hot photons, based on organic absorbers. Our approach, when combined with photon management structures similar to photonic fluorescent collectors, can potentially enhance the efficiency of complete photovoltaic devices. We present a characterisation method of fluorescent collectors by evaluating the chemical potential and temperature of the emitted fluorescence photon flux. We report on observation of temperatures of the emitted photon flux well above the ambient temperature, indicating the presence of hot photons. We propose a theoretical background to describe how excess thermal energy carried by hot photons can be exploited to increase the chemical potential of the photon flux which is closely related to the open-circuit voltage of the solar cell.
U2 - 10.1088/1361-6641/ab419f
DO - 10.1088/1361-6641/ab419f
M3 - Journal article
VL - 34
JO - Semiconductor Science and Technology
JF - Semiconductor Science and Technology
SN - 0268-1242
IS - 12
M1 - 124001
ER -