Richard Corkish

Temperature dependence of the radiative recombination coefficient of intrinsic crystalline silicon

The Centre of Excellence for Advanced Silicon Photovoltaics and Photonics is supported under the Australian Research Council’s Centres of Excellence Scheme. One author (T.T.) would like to thank the Alexander von Humboldt foundation for a Feodor Lynen-Scholarship while another (M.A.G.) acknowledges the award of an Australian Government Federation Fellowship.

Very efficient light emission from bulk crystalline silicon

Due to its indirect bandstructure, bulk crystalline silicon is generally regarded as a poor light emitter. In contrast to this common perception, we report here on surprisingly large external photoluminescence quantum efficiencies of textured bulk crystalline silicon wafers of up to 10.2% at T=130 K and of 6.1% at room temperature. Using a theoretical model to calculate the escape probability for internally generated photons, we can conclude from these experimental figures that the radiative recombination probability or internal luminescence quantum efficiency exceeds 20% at room temperature.

Solar energy collection by antennas

The idea of collecting solar electromagnetic radiation with antenna-rectifier (rectenna) structures was proposed three decades ago but has not yet been achieved. The idea has been promoted as having potential to achieve efficiency approaching 100% but thermodynamic considerations imply a lower limit of 85.4% for a non-frequency-selective rectenna and 86.8% for one with infinite selectivity, assuming maximal concentration in each case. This paper reviews the history and technical context of solar rectennas and discusses the major issues: thermodynamic efficiency limits, rectifier operation at optical frequencies, harmonics production and electrical noise.

Limiting efficiency for a multi-band solar cell containing three and four bands

Abstract Multi-band solar cells provide a possible approach to obtain photovoltaic efficiencies that are greater than that of a single junction solar cell. In the three-band case, an intermediate band harnesses photons of energy less than that between the two main bands, allowing these photons to contribute to the power output of the device. Previous work has shown that introducing a third band offers an efficiency of 63.2%. This paper extends the theory to four bands and calculates a limiting efficiency of 71.7%. Finite bandwidths of all bands can be used to ensure photon absorption selectivity, assumed in deducing the previous limits, but at the cost of reduced limiting efficiency. The maximum efficiency using this feature for the three and four bands is 58.9% and 59.0%, respectively. Superlattices and quantum dots offer flexibility in artificially designing the energy and widths of the bands.

Detailed balance efficiency limits with quasi-Fermi level variations [QW solar cell]

A central assumption in detailed balance efficiency limit calculations has been that the light generated carriers are collected by drift transport processes and have an infinite mobility, giving rise to constant quasi-Fermi levels (RFLs) across the solar cell. However, recent experimental and theoretical results for quantum well (QW) devices indicate that the QFLs need not be constant across the device. It is shown in this paper that transport mechanisms which cause a variation in the difference between the electron and hole QFLs give an increase in the limiting efficiency compared to previous detailed balance calculations. Further, QW solar cells which employ hot carrier transport across a well will have an efficiency limit in excess of a tandem solar cell while using the same number of semiconductor materials.

Clear quantum-confined luminescence from crystalline silicon/SiO2 single quantum wells

Crystalline silicon single quantum wells (QWs) were fabricated by high-temperature thermal oxidation of ELTRAN® (Epitaxial Layer TRANsfer) silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafers. The Si layer thicknesses enclosed by thermal SiO2 range from 0.8 to 5 nm. Luminescence energies from such QWs vary from 1.77 to 1.35 eV depending on the Si layer thickness, without evidence for interface-mediated transition seen in earlier work. The ability to detect quantum-confined luminescence seems to arise from the use of ELTRAN SOI wafers, from suppressed interface state luminescence by high-temperature oxidation and, possibly, from interface matching by crystalline silicon oxide.

Excitons in silicon diodes and solar cells: A three‐particle theory

Recent work has indicated that a significant number of electrons and holes remain in the free‐exciton form in silicon at room temperature, a finding which, if supportable by experimental evidence, requires the inclusion of excitons in diode and solar cell theory. Excitons, although neutral, may contribute to device currents by diffusing to the junction region where they may be dissociated by the field. A generalized three‐particle theory of transport in semiconductors is presented. The results of application of the theory to silicon devices indicate a decrease in the dark saturation current as well as an increase in light‐generated current when excitons are incorporated in the theory so long as exciton diffusion length exceeds that of the minority carriers. The work includes suggestions for experimental methods to confirm exciton involvement and to estimate the value of the exciton‐binding parameter from spectral response measurements on solar cells.

Quantitative interpretation of electron-beam-induced current grain boundary contrast profiles with application to silicon

An improved method is described for extracting material parameters from an experimental electron-beam-induced current (EBIC) contrast profile across a vertical grain boundary by directly fitting an analytical expression. This allows the least-squares values of the grain boundary recombination velocity and the diffusion length in each grain to be determined without the need for the reduction of the experimental profile to a few integral parameters, as is required in a previously reported method. Greater accuracy of the extracted values is expected since none of the information contained in the experimental contrast data is discarded and a less extensive spatial range of measured data is required than in the commonly used method. Different models of the carrier generation volume are used in the fitting and the effect of the choice of generation model on extracted values is investigated. In common with other EBIC approaches, this method is insensitive to changes in the diffusion length when the collection ef...

Photovoltaic powered ultraviolet and visible light-emitting diodes for sustainable point-of-use disinfection of drinking waters

For many decades, populations in rural and remote developing regions will be unable to access centralised piped potable water supplies, and indeed, decentralised options may be more sustainable. Accordingly, improved household point-of-use (POU) disinfection technologies are urgently needed. Compared to alternatives, ultraviolet (UV) light disinfection is very attractive because of its efficacy against all pathogen groups and minimal operational consumables. Though mercury arc lamp technology is very efficient, it requires frequent lamp replacement, involves a toxic heavy metal, and their quartz envelopes and sleeves are expensive, fragile and require regular cleaning. An emerging alternative is semiconductor-based units where UV light emitting diodes (UV-LEDs) are powered by photovoltaics (PV). Our review charts the development of these two technologies, their current status, and challenges to their integration and POU application. It explores the themes of UV-C-LEDs, non-UV-C LED technology (e.g. UV-A, visible light, Advanced Oxidation), PV power supplies, PV/LED integration and POU suitability. While UV-C LED technology should mature in the next 10 years, research is also needed to address other unresolved barriers to in situ application as well as emerging research opportunities especially UV-A, photocatalyst/photosensitiser use and pulsed emission options.

Design trade-offs and rules for multiple energy level solar cells

Abstract Solar cell efficiency limit are receiving renewed examination due to the realisation that many types of solar cell structures can theoretically achieve similar efficiencies to those of multiple p–n homojunctions, without the need for a large number of different semiconductors. This paper shows that the proposed high efficiency device structures fit into one of three general classes and therefore only three ideal efficiency limit calculations are required. However, many of the suggested structures violate assumptions in the ideal efficiency limit calculations. Hence, these calculations should be modified to include additional transport, generation and recombination effects.