| Description |
1 online resource |
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data file |
| Bibliography |
Includes bibliographical references. |
| Contents |
1. Introduction to photovoltaics and potential applications of group IV nanostructures / Jan Valenta and Salvo Mirabella -- 2. The Dielectric function and spectrophotometry : from bulk to nanostructure / Caterina Summonte -- 3. Ab initio calculations of the electronic and optical properties of silicon quantum dots embedded in different matrices / Roberto Guerra and Stefano Ossicini -- 4. Silicon nanoclusters embedded in dielectric matrices : nucleation, growth, and crystallization, and defects / Daniel Hiller -- 5. Excited-state relaxation in group IV nanocrystals investigated using optical methods / František Trojánek, Petr Malý, and Ivan Pelant -- 6. Carrier multiplication in isolated and interacting silicon nanocrystals / Ivan Marri, Marco Govoni, and S. Ossicini -- 7. The introduction of majority carriers into group IV nanocrystals / Dirk König -- 8. Electrical transport in Si-based nanostructured superlattices / Blas Garrido, Sergi Hernández, Yonder Berencén, Julian Lópoz-Vidrier, Joan Manel Ramírez, Oriol Blázquez, and Bernat Mundet -- 9. Ge nanostructures for harvesting and detection of light / Antonio Terrasi, Salvatore Cosentino, Isodiana Crupi, and Salvo Mirabella -- 10. Application of surface-engineered silicon nanocrystals with quantum confinement and nanocarbon materials in solar cells / Vladimir Svrcek and Davide Mariotti -- 11. Prototype PV cells with Si nanoclusters / Stefan Janz, Philipp Löper, and Manuel Schnabel. |
| Summary |
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. |
| Subject |
Nanotechnology -- Economic aspects.
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Photovoltaic power generation.
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Sustainable development -- Technological innovations.
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Conversion photovoltaïque. |
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Développement durable -- Innovations. |
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Nanotechnologie -- Aspect économique. |
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Sustainable development -- Technological innovations |
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Photovoltaic power generation |
| Added Author |
Valenta, Jan, editor.
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Mirabella, Salvo, editor.
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| Other Form: |
Erscheint auch als: Druck-Ausgabe |
| ISBN |
9789814463645 (electronic bk.) |
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9814463647 (electronic bk.) |
| Standard No. |
10.1201/b18090 doi |
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