Nanotechnology and Photovoltaic Devices

Nanotechnology and Photovoltaic Devices

by Jan Valenta, Salvo Mirabella
Released June 2015
Publisher(s): CRC Press
ISBN: 9789814463645

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Book description

Silicon is an abundant element and is produced in large quantities for the electronic industry. The falling price of this commodity also feeds the growth of solar photovoltaics (PV). However, solar cells (SCs) based on bulk semiconductors have quite limited maximum attainable performance. Therefore, new principles and materials are being investigated to build the third generation of SCs with improved conversion efficiency achieved by the optimized harvesting of the solar spectrum, improved carrier generation, better light management, etc. The unique properties of semiconductor nanostructures (tuning of optoelectronic properties by the quantum confinement effect, stronger interaction with light, etc.) can be exploited to fabricate novel types of high-efficiency solar cells. Here, again, silicon along with carbon and germanium (group IV elements) is about to play a major role.

In view of the increasing research effort devoted to nanostructures’ applications in PV, this book aims to provide a background to students and newcomer researchers as well as to point out some open questions and promising directions for future development. It presents a useful overview of group IV nanostructures for PV, which includes the theoretical background, presentation of main solar cell principles, technological aspects, and nanostructure characterization techniques, and finishes with the design and testing of prototype devices. It is not intended to be just a review of the most up-to-date literature, but the authors aim to provide an educative background of the field. All authors are renowned researchers and experienced teachers in the field of semiconductor nanostructures and photovoltaics.

Table of contents

  1. Cover
  2. Contents (1/2)
  3. Contents (2/2)
  4. Preface
  5. Chapter 1: Introduction to Photovoltaics and Potential Applications of Group IV Nanostructures (1/6)
  6. Chapter 1: Introduction to Photovoltaics and Potential Applications of Group IV Nanostructures (2/6)
  7. Chapter 1: Introduction to Photovoltaics and Potential Applications of Group IV Nanostructures (3/6)
  8. Chapter 1: Introduction to Photovoltaics and Potential Applications of Group IV Nanostructures (4/6)
  9. Chapter 1: Introduction to Photovoltaics and Potential Applications of Group IV Nanostructures (5/6)
  10. Chapter 1: Introduction to Photovoltaics and Potential Applications of Group IV Nanostructures (6/6)
  11. Chapter 2: The Dielectric Function and Spectrophotometry: From Bulk to Nanostructures (1/8)
  12. Chapter 2: The Dielectric Function and Spectrophotometry: From Bulk to Nanostructures (2/8)
  13. Chapter 2: The Dielectric Function and Spectrophotometry: From Bulk to Nanostructures (3/8)
  14. Chapter 2: The Dielectric Function and Spectrophotometry: From Bulk to Nanostructures (4/8)
  15. Chapter 2: The Dielectric Function and Spectrophotometry: From Bulk to Nanostructures (5/8)
  16. Chapter 2: The Dielectric Function and Spectrophotometry: From Bulk to Nanostructures (6/8)
  17. Chapter 2: The Dielectric Function and Spectrophotometry: From Bulk to Nanostructures (7/8)
  18. Chapter 2: The Dielectric Function and Spectrophotometry: From Bulk to Nanostructures (8/8)
  19. Chapter 3: Ab initio Calculations of the Electronic and Optical Properties of Silicon Quantum Dots Embedded in Different Matrices (1/7)
  20. Chapter 3: Ab initio Calculations of the Electronic and Optical Properties of Silicon Quantum Dots Embedded in Different Matrices (2/7)
  21. Chapter 3: Ab initio Calculations of the Electronic and Optical Properties of Silicon Quantum Dots Embedded in Different Matrices (3/7)
  22. Chapter 3: Ab initio Calculations of the Electronic and Optical Properties of Silicon Quantum Dots Embedded in Different Matrices (4/7)
  23. Chapter 3: Ab initio Calculations of the Electronic and Optical Properties of Silicon Quantum Dots Embedded in Different Matrices (5/7)
  24. Chapter 3: Ab initio Calculations of the Electronic and Optical Properties of Silicon Quantum Dots Embedded in Different Matrices (6/7)
  25. Chapter 3: Ab initio Calculations of the Electronic and Optical Properties of Silicon Quantum Dots Embedded in Different Matrices (7/7)
  26. Chapter 4: Silicon Nanoclusters Embedded in Dielectric Matrices: Nucleation, Growth, Crystallization, and Defects (1/10)
  27. Chapter 4: Silicon Nanoclusters Embedded in Dielectric Matrices: Nucleation, Growth, Crystallization, and Defects (2/10)
  28. Chapter 4: Silicon Nanoclusters Embedded in Dielectric Matrices: Nucleation, Growth, Crystallization, and Defects (3/10)
  29. Chapter 4: Silicon Nanoclusters Embedded in Dielectric Matrices: Nucleation, Growth, Crystallization, and Defects (4/10)
  30. Chapter 4: Silicon Nanoclusters Embedded in Dielectric Matrices: Nucleation, Growth, Crystallization, and Defects (5/10)
  31. Chapter 4: Silicon Nanoclusters Embedded in Dielectric Matrices: Nucleation, Growth, Crystallization, and Defects (6/10)
  32. Chapter 4: Silicon Nanoclusters Embedded in Dielectric Matrices: Nucleation, Growth, Crystallization, and Defects (7/10)
  33. Chapter 4: Silicon Nanoclusters Embedded in Dielectric Matrices: Nucleation, Growth, Crystallization, and Defects (8/10)
  34. Chapter 4: Silicon Nanoclusters Embedded in Dielectric Matrices: Nucleation, Growth, Crystallization, and Defects (9/10)
  35. Chapter 4: Silicon Nanoclusters Embedded in Dielectric Matrices: Nucleation, Growth, Crystallization, and Defects (10/10)
  36. Chapter 5: Excited-State Relaxation in Group IV Nanocrystals Investigated Using Optical Methods (1/7)
  37. Chapter 5: Excited-State Relaxation in Group IV Nanocrystals Investigated Using Optical Methods (2/7)
  38. Chapter 5: Excited-State Relaxation in Group IV Nanocrystals Investigated Using Optical Methods (3/7)
  39. Chapter 5: Excited-State Relaxation in Group IV Nanocrystals Investigated Using Optical Methods (4/7)
  40. Chapter 5: Excited-State Relaxation in Group IV Nanocrystals Investigated Using Optical Methods (5/7)
  41. Chapter 5: Excited-State Relaxation in Group IV Nanocrystals Investigated Using Optical Methods (6/7)
  42. Chapter 5: Excited-State Relaxation in Group IV Nanocrystals Investigated Using Optical Methods (7/7)
  43. Chapter 6: Carrier Multiplication in Isolated and Interacting Silicon Nanocrystals (1/6)
  44. Chapter 6: Carrier Multiplication in Isolated and Interacting Silicon Nanocrystals (2/6)
  45. Chapter 6: Carrier Multiplication in Isolated and Interacting Silicon Nanocrystals (3/6)
  46. Chapter 6: Carrier Multiplication in Isolated and Interacting Silicon Nanocrystals (4/6)
  47. Chapter 6: Carrier Multiplication in Isolated and Interacting Silicon Nanocrystals (5/6)
  48. Chapter 6: Carrier Multiplication in Isolated and Interacting Silicon Nanocrystals (6/6)
  49. Chapter 7: The Introduction of Majority Carriers into Group IV Nanocrystals (1/11)
  50. Chapter 7: The Introduction of Majority Carriers into Group IV Nanocrystals (2/11)
  51. Chapter 7: The Introduction of Majority Carriers into Group IV Nanocrystals (3/11)
  52. Chapter 7: The Introduction of Majority Carriers into Group IV Nanocrystals (4/11)
  53. Chapter 7: The Introduction of Majority Carriers into Group IV Nanocrystals (5/11)
  54. Chapter 7: The Introduction of Majority Carriers into Group IV Nanocrystals (6/11)
  55. Chapter 7: The Introduction of Majority Carriers into Group IV Nanocrystals (7/11)
  56. Chapter 7: The Introduction of Majority Carriers into Group IV Nanocrystals (8/11)
  57. Chapter 7: The Introduction of Majority Carriers into Group IV Nanocrystals (9/11)
  58. Chapter 7: The Introduction of Majority Carriers into Group IV Nanocrystals (10/11)
  59. Chapter 7: The Introduction of Majority Carriers into Group IV Nanocrystals (11/11)
  60. Chapter 8: Electrical Transport in Si-Based Nanostructured Superlattices (1/13)
  61. Chapter 8: Electrical Transport in Si-Based Nanostructured Superlattices (2/13)
  62. Chapter 8: Electrical Transport in Si-Based Nanostructured Superlattices (3/13)
  63. Chapter 8: Electrical Transport in Si-Based Nanostructured Superlattices (4/13)
  64. Chapter 8: Electrical Transport in Si-Based Nanostructured Superlattices (5/13)
  65. Chapter 8: Electrical Transport in Si-Based Nanostructured Superlattices (6/13)
  66. Chapter 8: Electrical Transport in Si-Based Nanostructured Superlattices (7/13)
  67. Chapter 8: Electrical Transport in Si-Based Nanostructured Superlattices (8/13)
  68. Chapter 8: Electrical Transport in Si-Based Nanostructured Superlattices (9/13)
  69. Chapter 8: Electrical Transport in Si-Based Nanostructured Superlattices (10/13)
  70. Chapter 8: Electrical Transport in Si-Based Nanostructured Superlattices (11/13)
  71. Chapter 8: Electrical Transport in Si-Based Nanostructured Superlattices (12/13)
  72. Chapter 8: Electrical Transport in Si-Based Nanostructured Superlattices (13/13)
  73. Chapter 9: Ge Nanostructures for Harvesting and Detection of Light (1/8)
  74. Chapter 9: Ge Nanostructures for Harvesting and Detection of Light (2/8)
  75. Chapter 9: Ge Nanostructures for Harvesting and Detection of Light (3/8)
  76. Chapter 9: Ge Nanostructures for Harvesting and Detection of Light (4/8)
  77. Chapter 9: Ge Nanostructures for Harvesting and Detection of Light (5/8)
  78. Chapter 9: Ge Nanostructures for Harvesting and Detection of Light (6/8)
  79. Chapter 9: Ge Nanostructures for Harvesting and Detection of Light (7/8)
  80. Chapter 9: Ge Nanostructures for Harvesting and Detection of Light (8/8)
  81. Chapter 10: Application of Surface-Engineered Silicon Nanocrystals with Quantum Confinement and Nanocarbon Materials in Solar Cells (1/6)
  82. Chapter 10: Application of Surface-Engineered Silicon Nanocrystals with Quantum Confinement and Nanocarbon Materials in Solar Cells (2/6)
  83. Chapter 10: Application of Surface-Engineered Silicon Nanocrystals with Quantum Confinement and Nanocarbon Materials in Solar Cells (3/6)
  84. Chapter 10: Application of Surface-Engineered Silicon Nanocrystals with Quantum Confinement and Nanocarbon Materials in Solar Cells (4/6)
  85. Chapter 10: Application of Surface-Engineered Silicon Nanocrystals with Quantum Confinement and Nanocarbon Materials in Solar Cells (5/6)
  86. Chapter 10: Application of Surface-Engineered Silicon Nanocrystals with Quantum Confinement and Nanocarbon Materials in Solar Cells (6/6)
  87. Chapter 11: Prototype PV Cells with Si Nanoclusters (1/9)
  88. Chapter 11: Prototype PV Cells with Si Nanoclusters (2/9)
  89. Chapter 11: Prototype PV Cells with Si Nanoclusters (3/9)
  90. Chapter 11: Prototype PV Cells with Si Nanoclusters (4/9)
  91. Chapter 11: Prototype PV Cells with Si Nanoclusters (5/9)
  92. Chapter 11: Prototype PV Cells with Si Nanoclusters (6/9)
  93. Chapter 11: Prototype PV Cells with Si Nanoclusters (7/9)
  94. Chapter 11: Prototype PV Cells with Si Nanoclusters (8/9)
  95. Chapter 11: Prototype PV Cells with Si Nanoclusters (9/9)
  96. Back Cover

Product information

  • Title: Nanotechnology and Photovoltaic Devices
  • Author(s): Jan Valenta, Salvo Mirabella
  • Release date: June 2015
  • Publisher(s): CRC Press
  • ISBN: 9789814463645