Modeling of dilute nitride cascaded quantum well solar cells for high efficiency photovoltaics

Abstract

III-V Dilute Nitride multi-quantum well structures are currently promising candidates to achieve 1 sun efficiencies of <40% with multi-junction design (InGaP/ GaAs/ GaAsN/ Ge). Previously under the assumption of complete carrier collection from wells, we have shown that III-V Dilute Nitride GaAsN multi-quantum well (MQW) structures included in the intrinsic region of the third cell in a 4 junction configuration could yield 1 sun efficiencies greater than 40%. However for a conventional deep well design the characteristic carrier escape times could exceed that of radiative recombination hence limiting the current output of the cell, as has been indicated by prior experiments. In order to increase the current extraction here we evaluate the performance of a cascaded quantum well design whereby a thermally assisted resonant tunneling process is used to accelerate the carrier escape process (<30ps lifetime) and hence improve the photo generated carrier collection efficiency. The quantum efficiency of a p-i-n subcell where a periodic sequence of quantum wells with well and barrier thicknesses adjusted for the sequential extraction operation is calculated using a 2D drift diffusion model and taking into account absorption properties of resulting MQWs. The calculation also accounts for the E-field induced modifications of absorption properties and quantization in quantum wells. The results are then accounted for to calculate efficiencies for the proposed 4 junction design, and indicate potential for reaching efficiencies in excess of this structure is above 42% (1 sun) and above 50% (500 sun) AM1.5.