DOI: 10.1557/mrs2005.3. The Photoconversion Mechanism of Excitonic Solar Cells

The Photoconversion Mechanism of Excitonic Solar Cells

10.1557/mrs2005.3

Crossref journal-article

Springer Science and Business Media LLC

MRS Bulletin (297)

Abstract

AbstractExcitonic solar cells (XSCs) function by a mechanism that is different than that of conventional solar cells.They have different limitations on their open circuit photovoltages, and their behavior cannot be interpreted as if they were conventional p–n heterojunctions. Exciton dissociation at the heterojunction produces electrons on one side of the interface already separated from the holes produced on the other side of the interface. This creates a powerful photoinduced interfacial chemical potential energy gradient that drives the photovoltaic effect, even in the absence of a built-in electrical potential. The maximum thermodynamic efficiency achievable in an XSC is shown to be identical to that of a conventional solar cell, with the substitution of the optical bandgap in the XSC for the electronic bandgap in the conventional cell. This article briefly reviews the photovoltaic mechanism of XSCs, the limitations on their photovoltage, and their maximum achievable efficiency.

Bibliography

Gregg, B. A. (2005). The Photoconversion Mechanism of Excitonic Solar Cells. MRS Bulletin, 30(1), 20â22.

Authors 1

Brian A. Gregg (first)

References 23 Referenced 135

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10.1021/j100387a017
{'key': 'S0883769400011805_ref017', 'volume-title': 'Fundamentals of Solar Cells: Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conversion', 'author': 'Fahrenbruch', 'year': '1983'} / Fundamentals of Solar Cells: Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conversion by Fahrenbruch (1983)
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{'key': 'S0883769400011805_ref018', 'volume-title': 'Solar Cell Device Physics', 'author': 'Fonash', 'year': '1981'} / Solar Cell Device Physics by Fonash (1981)
{'key': 'S0883769400011805_ref005', 'first-page': '51', 'volume-title': 'Semiconductor Photochemistry and Photophysics', 'volume': '10', 'author': 'Gregg', 'year': '2002'} / Semiconductor Photochemistry and Photophysics by Gregg (2002)
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Dates

Type	When
Created	14 years, 6 months ago (Feb. 2, 2011, 7:20 a.m.)
Deposited	4 years, 6 months ago (Feb. 24, 2021, 5:08 p.m.)
Indexed	6 days, 15 hours ago (Aug. 26, 2025, 2:23 a.m.)
Issued	20 years, 8 months ago (Jan. 1, 2005)
Published	20 years, 8 months ago (Jan. 1, 2005)
Published Online	14 years, 7 months ago (Jan. 31, 2011)
Published Print	20 years, 8 months ago (Jan. 1, 2005)

Funders 0

None

BibTeX

@article{Gregg_2005, title={The Photoconversion Mechanism of Excitonic Solar Cells}, volume={30}, ISSN={1938-1425}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1557/mrs2005.3}, DOI={10.1557/mrs2005.3}, number={1}, journal={MRS Bulletin}, publisher={Springer Science and Business Media LLC}, author={Gregg, Brian A.}, year={2005}, month=jan, pages={20–22} }

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