Modeling and Simulation of InAs/GaAs Quantum Dot Solar Cells in SILVACO TCAD

The common shortcoming of solar cells is the low conversion efficiency. Especially in applications of satellites and spacecraft in space, since the area available for use is very limited, solar cells with high conversion efficiency are very important and necessary. Currently, quantum dot solar cells are one of the most active research fields in the third generation solar cells. In this thesis, we use Silvaco TCAD software for modeling and simulations of both standard GaAs solar cell and InAs/GaAs p-i-n quantum dot solar cell. All the simulation results are compared with experimental measurement data [29, 30] of fabricated solar cell chips, and thus are proved to be accurate and correct. When comparing 40-layer InAs/GaAs quantum dot solar cell with standard GaAs solar cell, the conversion efficiency in simulation results increased from 14.1% to 18.6%, which is relatively 31.5% increase. Also, the absorption range edge of photons with low energies extended from 875 nm to 1200 nm. All the results presented in this thesis prove it to be true that embedded quantum dots have positive effects on solar cells, and can help improve solar cells' conversion efficiency.

Author

• Dong, Boqun

Language

• en

Keyword

• simulation
• solar cell
• quantum dot

Date created

• 2014

Type of Work

• Master's Thesis

License

• All rights reserved

Rights statement

• In Copyright

GW Unit

• Electrical Engineering

Degree

• M.S.

Advisor

• Zaghloul, Mona E

Committee Member(s)

• Doroslovacki, Milos
• Afanasev, Andrei
• Zaghloul, Mona

Persistent URL

•  https://scholarspace.library.gwu.edu/etd/9019s273j