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Main Author: Manousakis, Efstratios
Format: Preprint
Published: 2024
Subjects:
Online Access:https://arxiv.org/abs/2410.22395
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author Manousakis, Efstratios
author_facet Manousakis, Efstratios
contents We argue that alternating-layer structures of lattice mismatched or misaligned (twisted) atomically-thin layers should be expected to be more efficient absorbers of the broad-spectrum of solar radiation than the bulk material of each individual layer. In such mismatched layer-structures the conduction and valence bands of the bulk material, split into multiple minibands separated by minigaps confined to a small-size emerging Brillouin zone due to band-folding. We extended the Shockley-Queisser approach to calculate the photovoltaic efficiency for a band split into minibands of bandwidth $ΔE$ and mini-gaps $δG$ to model the case when such structures are used as solar cells. We find a significant efficiency enhancement due to impact ionization processes, especially in the limit of small but non-zero $δG$, and a dramatic increase when fully concentrated sun-light is used.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2410_22395
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Lattice-mismatched and twisted multi-layered materials for efficient solar cells
Manousakis, Efstratios
Materials Science
We argue that alternating-layer structures of lattice mismatched or misaligned (twisted) atomically-thin layers should be expected to be more efficient absorbers of the broad-spectrum of solar radiation than the bulk material of each individual layer. In such mismatched layer-structures the conduction and valence bands of the bulk material, split into multiple minibands separated by minigaps confined to a small-size emerging Brillouin zone due to band-folding. We extended the Shockley-Queisser approach to calculate the photovoltaic efficiency for a band split into minibands of bandwidth $ΔE$ and mini-gaps $δG$ to model the case when such structures are used as solar cells. We find a significant efficiency enhancement due to impact ionization processes, especially in the limit of small but non-zero $δG$, and a dramatic increase when fully concentrated sun-light is used.
title Lattice-mismatched and twisted multi-layered materials for efficient solar cells
topic Materials Science
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2410.22395