Improved Quantum Dot Stacking for Intermediate Band Solar Cells using Strain Compensation

Paul J. Simmonds; Meng Sun; Ramesh Babu Laghumavarapu; Baolai Liang; Andrew G. Norman; Jun Wei Luo; Diana L. Huffaker

doi:10.1088/0957-4484/25/44/445402

Improved Quantum Dot Stacking for Intermediate Band Solar Cells using Strain Compensation

Paul J. Simmonds, Meng Sun, Ramesh Babu Laghumavarapu, Baolai Liang, Andrew G. Norman, Jun Wei Luo, Diana L. Huffaker

Materials Science

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

16 Scopus Citations

Abstract

We use thin tensile-strained AlAs layers to manage compressive strain in stacked layers of InAs/AlAsSb quantum dots (QDs). The AlAs layers allow us to reduce residual strain in the QD stacks, suppressing strain-related defects. AlAs layers 2.4 monolayers thick are sufficient to balance the strain in the structures studied, in agreement with theory. Strain balancing improves material quality and helps increase QD uniformity by preventing strain accumulation and ensuring that each layer of InAs experiences the same strain. Stacks of 30 layers of strain-balanced QDs exhibit carrier lifetimes as long as 9.7 ns. QD uniformity is further enhanced by vertical ABAB... ordering of the dots in successive layers. Strain compensated InAs/AlAsSb QD stacks show great promise for intermediate band solar cell applications.

Original language	American English
Article number	445402
Number of pages	7
Journal	Nanotechnology
Volume	25
Issue number	44
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1088/0957-4484/25/44/445402 https://doi.org/10.1088/0957-4484/25/44/445402
State	Published - 7 Nov 2014

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2014 IOP Publishing Ltd.

NREL Publication Number

NREL/JA-5K00-63346

Keywords

InAs/AlAsSb
intermediate band solar cells
self-assembled quantum dots
strain compensation
tensile strain

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title = "Improved Quantum Dot Stacking for Intermediate Band Solar Cells using Strain Compensation",

abstract = "We use thin tensile-strained AlAs layers to manage compressive strain in stacked layers of InAs/AlAsSb quantum dots (QDs). The AlAs layers allow us to reduce residual strain in the QD stacks, suppressing strain-related defects. AlAs layers 2.4 monolayers thick are sufficient to balance the strain in the structures studied, in agreement with theory. Strain balancing improves material quality and helps increase QD uniformity by preventing strain accumulation and ensuring that each layer of InAs experiences the same strain. Stacks of 30 layers of strain-balanced QDs exhibit carrier lifetimes as long as 9.7 ns. QD uniformity is further enhanced by vertical ABAB... ordering of the dots in successive layers. Strain compensated InAs/AlAsSb QD stacks show great promise for intermediate band solar cell applications.",

keywords = "InAs/AlAsSb, intermediate band solar cells, self-assembled quantum dots, strain compensation, tensile strain",

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AU - Liang, Baolai

AU - Norman, Andrew G.

AU - Luo, Jun Wei

AU - Huffaker, Diana L.

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AB - We use thin tensile-strained AlAs layers to manage compressive strain in stacked layers of InAs/AlAsSb quantum dots (QDs). The AlAs layers allow us to reduce residual strain in the QD stacks, suppressing strain-related defects. AlAs layers 2.4 monolayers thick are sufficient to balance the strain in the structures studied, in agreement with theory. Strain balancing improves material quality and helps increase QD uniformity by preventing strain accumulation and ensuring that each layer of InAs experiences the same strain. Stacks of 30 layers of strain-balanced QDs exhibit carrier lifetimes as long as 9.7 ns. QD uniformity is further enhanced by vertical ABAB... ordering of the dots in successive layers. Strain compensated InAs/AlAsSb QD stacks show great promise for intermediate band solar cell applications.

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Improved Quantum Dot Stacking for Intermediate Band Solar Cells using Strain Compensation

Abstract

Bibliographical note

NREL Publication Number

Keywords

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