Heterogeneous nano-particle array for the realization of the hot carrier solar cell

A hot carrier solar cell device that consists of heterogeneous nano-particle arrays has been proposed. It has been demonstrated that such array has good properties both as a light absorber and as a carrier conductor. The photo-generated hot carrier populations can be potentially retained due to the strong acoustic impendence between the component nano-particles, which localizes the lattice vibrational energy. The electronic and phononic properties of the nano-particles have demonstrated the potential of generating a hot carrier population. It has been demonstrated that by modulating the structure of the array, it is possible to maintain a fine electrical conductivity while strongly block the lattice heat conductivity. This helps to minimize the entropy generation during the energy conversion process, providing possibilities of realizing the high-efficiency hot carrier solar cell.

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