Quantification of hot carrier thermalization in PbS colloidal quantum dots by power and temperature dependent photoluminescence spectroscopy

PbS QDs are studied as attractive candidates to be applied as hot carrier solar cell absorbers. The thermalization properties of PbS QDs are investigated with power and temperature dependent continuous wave photoluminescence (CWPL). Non-equilibrium hot carrier populations are generated by high energy laser excitation, the thermalization coefficient Q is estimated from the incident power dependent carrier temperature. A non-equilibrium hot carrier population 200 K above the lattice temperature is detected at mild illumination intensity. A higher energy carrier population and an increasing Q value are observed with rising lattice temperatures. State filling effects are proposed as a possible cause of the generation of the non-equilibrium hot carrier population and an enhanced electron–phonon coupling strength is suggested to account for the faster carrier cooling rate observed in closely packed Langmuir–Blodgett monolayer films. A thermalization coefficient, Q, as low as 6.55 W K−1 cm−2 was found for the drop cast sample and suggests that PbS QDs are good candidates for practical hot carrier absorbers.

[1]  Tak W. Kee,et al.  Observation of Hot Carriers Existing in Ag2S Nanoparticles and Its Implication on Solar Cell Application , 2016 .

[2]  X. Wen,et al.  Generation of hot carrier population in colloidal silicon quantum dots for high-efficiency photovoltaics , 2016 .

[3]  Oleksandr Voznyy,et al.  High-Efficiency Colloidal Quantum Dot Photovoltaics via Robust Self-Assembled Monolayers. , 2015, Nano letters.

[4]  Shujuan Huang,et al.  Hot carrier solar cell absorber prerequisites and candidate material systems , 2015 .

[5]  Shujuan Huang,et al.  Can Tauc plot extrapolation be used for direct-band-gap semiconductor nanocrystals? , 2015 .

[6]  Christopher G. Bailey,et al.  Enhanced Hot-Carrier Effects in InAlAs/InGaAs Quantum Wells , 2014, IEEE Journal of Photovoltaics.

[7]  W. Tisdale,et al.  Monodisperse, air-stable PbS nanocrystals via precursor stoichiometry control. , 2014, ACS nano.

[8]  J. Luther,et al.  Size and composition dependent multiple exciton generation efficiency in PbS, PbSe, and PbS(x)Se(1-x) alloyed quantum dots. , 2013, Nano letters.

[9]  R. Sandberg,et al.  Carrier multiplication in semiconductor nanocrystals: influence of size, shape, and composition. , 2013, Accounts of chemical research.

[10]  Z. Hens,et al.  Giant and broad-band absorption enhancement in colloidal quantum dot monolayers through dipolar coupling. , 2013, ACS nano.

[11]  Andrei Schliwa,et al.  Electronic structure and exciton-phonon interaction in two-dimensional colloidal CdSe nanosheets. , 2012, Nano letters.

[12]  L. Lombez,et al.  Thermalisation rate study of GaSb-based heterostructures by continuous wave photoluminescence and their potential as hot carrier solar cell absorbers , 2012 .

[13]  Jau Tang,et al.  Temperature dependent spectral properties of type-I and quasi type-II CdSe/CdS dot-in-rod nanocrystals. , 2012, Physical chemistry chemical physics : PCCP.

[14]  Vladimir Bulović,et al.  Practical Roadmap and Limits to Nanostructured Photovoltaics , 2011, Advanced materials.

[15]  C. W. Wong,et al.  Ultrafast supercontinuum spectroscopy of carrier multiplication and biexcitonic effects in excited states of PbS quantum dots. , 2011, Nano letters.

[16]  Alexander M. Malyarevich,et al.  Temperature-dependent photoluminescence of PbS quantum dots in glass: Evidence of exciton state splitting and carrier trapping , 2010 .

[17]  Jean-François Guillemoles,et al.  Hot carrier solar cells: Achievable efficiency accounting for heat losses in the absorber and through contacts , 2010 .

[18]  G. Conibeer,et al.  Application of Ge quantum wells fabricated by laser annealing as energy selective contacts for hot-carrier solar cells , 2010, 2012 38th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference.

[19]  Gavin Conibeer,et al.  Hot carrier solar cells: Principles, materials and design , 2010 .

[20]  Gavin Conibeer,et al.  Modelling of hot carrier solar cell absorbers , 2010 .

[21]  Zeger Hens,et al.  Langmuir–Blodgett monolayers of colloidal lead chalcogenide quantum dots: morphology and photoluminescence , 2010, Nanotechnology.

[22]  L. Hirst,et al.  Fundamental losses in solar cells , 2009 .

[23]  Christopher B. Murray,et al.  Quasicrystalline order in self-assembled binary nanoparticle superlattices , 2009, Nature.

[24]  Xueyan Liu,et al.  Temperature-Dependent Photoluminescence of CdSe-Core CdS/CdZnS/ZnS-Multishell Quantum Dots , 2009 .

[25]  Gavin Conibeer,et al.  Hot carrier solar cells operating under practical conditions , 2009 .

[26]  Gavin Conibeer,et al.  Slowing of carrier cooling in hot carrier solar cells , 2008 .

[27]  G. Conibeer,et al.  Third generation photovoltaics , 2007, 2008 2nd Electronics System-Integration Technology Conference.

[28]  Chennupati Jagadish,et al.  The state filling effect in p-doped InGaAs/GaAs quantum dots , 2007 .

[29]  Peidong Yang,et al.  Tunable plasmonic lattices of silver nanocrystals. , 2007, Nature nanotechnology.

[30]  Chennupati Jagadish,et al.  Temperature dependent photoluminescence in oxygen ion implanted and rapid thermally annealed ZnO/ZnMgO multiple quantum wells , 2007 .

[31]  Mohamed Henini,et al.  Temperature dependence of the photoluminescence emission from thiol-capped PbS quantum dots , 2007 .

[32]  M. Beard,et al.  PbTe colloidal nanocrystals: synthesis, characterization, and multiple exciton generation. , 2006, Journal of the American Chemical Society.

[33]  Dmitri V Talapin,et al.  Self-assembly of PbTe quantum dots into nanocrystal superlattices and glassy films. , 2006, Journal of the American Chemical Society.

[34]  M. Beard,et al.  Highly efficient multiple exciton generation in colloidal PbSe and PbS quantum dots. , 2005, Nano letters.

[35]  Gregory D. Scholes,et al.  Colloidal PbS Nanocrystals with Size‐Tunable Near‐Infrared Emission: Observation of Post‐Synthesis Self‐Narrowing of the Particle Size Distribution , 2003 .

[36]  Eugene E. Haller,et al.  Temperature dependence of the fundamental band gap of InN , 2003 .

[37]  A. Nozik.  Quantum dot solar cells , 2002 .

[38]  K. H. Ploog,et al.  Strong localization in InGaN layers with high In content grown by molecular-beam epitaxy , 2002 .

[39]  Nicolas Grandjean,et al.  InGaN/GaN quantum wells grown by molecular-beam epitaxy emitting from blue to red at 300 K , 2000 .

[40]  M. Shim,et al.  Permanent dipole moment and charges in colloidal semiconductor quantum dots , 1999 .

[41]  P. Guyot-Sionnest,et al.  Dielectric Dispersion Measurements of CdSe Nanocrystal Colloids: Observation of a Permanent Dipole Moment , 1997 .

[42]  Kurz,et al.  Hot-phonon effects in femtosecond luminescence spectra of electron-hole plasmas in CdS. , 1995, Physical review. B, Condensed matter.

[43]  Fiona C. Meldrum,et al.  Monoparticulate Layer and Langmuir-Blodgett-Type Multiparticulate Layers of Size-Quantized Cadmium Sulfide Clusters: A Colloid-Chemical Approach to Superlattice Construction , 1994 .

[44]  Levi,et al.  Hot-carrier cooling in GaAs: Quantum wells versus bulk. , 1993, Physical review. B, Condensed matter.

[45]  G. Bastard,et al.  Phonon scattering and energy relaxation in two-, one-, and zero-dimensional electron gases. , 1990, Physical review. B, Condensed matter.

[46]  Shah,et al.  Energy-loss rates for hot electrons and holes in GaAs quantum wells. , 1985, Physical review letters.

[47]  P. Kocevar,et al.  Electronic power transfer in pulsed laser excitation of polar semiconductors , 1983 .

[48]  B. Ridley.  The electron-phonon interaction in quasi-two-dimensional semiconductor quantum-well structures , 1982 .

[49]  R. T. Ross,et al.  Efficiency of hot-carrier solar energy converters , 1982 .

[50]  J. Shah,et al.  Radiative Recombination from Photoexcited Hot Carriers in GaAs , 1969 .

[51]  R. Grigorovici,et al.  Optical Properties and Electronic Structure of Amorphous Germanium , 1966, 1966.

[52]  P. G. Klemens,et al.  Anharmonic Decay of Optical Phonons , 1966 .

[53]  H. Queisser,et al.  Detailed Balance Limit of Efficiency of p‐n Junction Solar Cells , 1961 .

[54]  A. Nozik.  Spectroscopy and hot electron relaxation dynamics in semiconductor quantum wells and quantum dots. , 2001, Annual review of physical chemistry.