Title :
Miniband Calculation of 3-D Nanostructure Array for Solar Cell Applications
Author :
Ming-Yi Lee ; Yiming Li ; Samukawa, Seiji
Author_Institution :
Dept. of Electr. & Comput. Eng. Parallel, Nat. Chiao Tung Univ., Hsinchu, Taiwan
Abstract :
Within the envelop-function framework, we propose a more efficient finite-element method to calculate the miniband structure and density of states in an idealistic nanocrystal array with realistic geometrical parameters. This method clearly reveals the miniband formation and accurately calculates the energy dispersion relationship. The calculated result agrees well with the analytical Kronig-Penney method. More importantly, this method surmounts the theoretical approximations of the multidimensional Kronig-Penney method, and provides significant information for 3-D quantum dots solar cell design by simulating an in-plane germanium nanodisk array in bulk silicon.
Keywords :
Kronig-Penney model; elemental semiconductors; finite element analysis; germanium; nanostructured materials; semiconductor quantum dots; silicon; solar cell arrays; 3D nanostructure array miniband calculation; 3D quantum dot solar cell design; Ge-Si; analytical Kronig-Penney method; bulk silicon; energy dispersion relationship; envelop-function framework; finite element method; geometrical parameters; in-plane germanium nanodisk array simulation; miniband formation; miniband structure; multidimensional Kronig-Penney method; nanocrystal array; solar cell applications; Arrays; Finite element analysis; Photonic band gap; Photovoltaic cells; Silicon; Sun; Superlattices; Ge/Si quantum dot (QD); miniband; solar cell; solar cell.;
Journal_Title :
Electron Devices, IEEE Transactions on
DOI :
10.1109/TED.2015.2474161