Elucidating the role of non-radiative processes in charge transfer of core–shell Si–SiO2 nanoparticles

Abstract

Crystalline silicon is the most commonly used material in photovoltaics but has limitations due to its high cost and non-tunable band gap. A new approach of using inexpensive, non-toxic materials with layers that have different band gaps which absorb a wide range of the solar spectrum has the potential to dramatically increase the efficiencies and lower the costs. Core–shell Si–SiO2 nanoparticles are ideally suited for the photovoltaic application and have been synthesised by different groups in an array of sizes allowing for absorption in a wide spectral range. A theoretical investigation of fundamental charge transfer processes in these systems can potentially lead to improved devices. Calculations on a model core–shell interface with the formula Si264O160 which features a silicon layer sandwiched between two SiO2 layers were performed using the Vienna ab initio software package. The Perdew–Burke–Ernzerhof functional in the basis of plane waves was used along with pseudopotentials to simulate electronic structure. The nuclear motion was considered using ab initio molecular dynamics. The density of states, absorption spectrum, partial charge densities, and radiative recombination lifetimes have been calculated. This interface shows quantum confinement behaviour similar to a particle in a box. The role of non-radiative recombination was also determined by relaxation dynamics.