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Performance-limiting factors for GaAs-based single nanowire photovoltaics

Xufeng Wang, Mohammad Ryyan Khan, Mark Lundstrom, and Peter Bermel

Open Access Open Access

Abstract

GaAs nanowires (NWs) offer the possibility of decoupling light absorption from charge transport for high-performance photovoltaic (PV) devices. However, it is still an open question as to whether these devices can exceed the Shockley-Queisser efficiency limit for single-junction PV. In this work, single standing GaAs-based nanowire solar cells in both radial and vertical junction configurations is analyzed and compared to a planar thin-film design. By using a self-consistent, electrical-optically coupled 3D simulator, we show the design principles for nanowire and planar solar cells are significantly different; nanowire solar cells are vulnerable to surface and contact recombination, while planar solar cells suffer significant losses due to imperfect backside mirror reflection. Overall, the ultimate efficiency of the GaAs nanowire solar cell with radial and vertical junction is not expected to exceed that of the thin-film design, with both staying below the Shockley-Queisser limit.

© 2014 Optical Society of America

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Figures (11)
Fig. 1
Fig. 1 Electro-optically coupled simulation framework flowchart, suitable for incorporating photon recycling effects into a PV device simulation in a self-consistent fashion.

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Fig. 2
Fig. 2 (a) Baseline single nanowire solar cell geometry with a radial junction; (b) Absorptivity vs. incident wavelength for the baseline single nanowire solar cell.

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Fig. 3
Fig. 3 Three important quantities are spatially resolved with wave optics simulation: (a) Carrier generation rate under AM1.5G. (b) Spontaneous emission enhancement with respect to a homogeneous environment. (c) Spatially resolved photon recycling probability.

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Fig. 4
Fig. 4 With radial junction, (a) Electron current flow streamline at JSC. (b) Hole current flow streamline at JSC. (c) Benchmark single nanowire solar cell light and dark IV.

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Fig. 5
Fig. 5 With no minority carrier deflections at both contacts, performances for various surface recombination velocities are displayed. (a) JSC and VOC. (b) Percentage of each major loss mechanism at VOC.

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Fig. 6
Fig. 6 With complete minority carrier deflection at both contacts, performances for various surface recombination velocities are displayed. (a) JSC and VOC. (b) Percentage of each major loss mechanism at VOC.

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Fig. 7
Fig. 7 With vertical junction, (a) Device geometry. (b) Electron current flow streamline at JSC. (c) Hole current flow streamline at JSC.

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Fig. 8
Fig. 8 With no minority carrier deflections at both contacts, performances for various surface recombination velocities are displayed. (a) JSC and VOC. (b) Percentage of each major loss mechanism at VOC.

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Fig. 9
Fig. 9 With complete minority carrier deflections at both contacts, performances for various surface recombination velocities are displayed. (a) JSC and VOC. (b) Percentage of each major loss mechanism at VOC.

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Fig. 10
Fig. 10 (a) Thin-film solar cell geometry. (b) Illustration of photon recycling and emission inside a thin-film solar cell.

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Fig. 11
Fig. 11 With bulk SRH lifetime at 1 us, performances for various backside mirror reflectivities are displayed. (a) JSC and VOC. (b) Percentage of each major loss mechanism at VOC.

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Tables (2)

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Table 1 Key baseline material parametersa

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Table 2 Performance comparison for various III-V single-junction solar cell types under 1-Sun, where shaded rows are numerical predictions in this study.

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Equations (3)

Equations on this page are rendered with MathJax. Learn more.

P a b s = − 0.5 ω | E | 2 i m a g ( ϵ ) ,
R e m i t ( V = 0 ) = ∫ R e m i t ( v ) d v = ∫ 8 π v 2 n 2 c 2 α ( v ) e ( h v / k T ) − 1 d v ,
R e m i t ( V ) = R e m i t ( V = 0 ) e q V / k T .
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