Evaluating and optimizing intermediate band solar cells

Abstract

Solar cells made from intermediate band (IB) materials have the potential to radically improve photovoltaic efficiencies. An efficient IB solar cell has not yet been realized due to insufficient combinations of absorption coefficients and carrier lifetimes. After describing the three classes of IB materials discovered to date, we introduce Simudo, the first device model capable of studying IB devices including all of their essential physical processes. Using Simudo, we show the material quality required for effective IB solar cells and compare to existing IB materials, showing which are most promising.