Nonequilibrium electron and phonon dynamics in advanced concept solar cells

The realization of advanced concept solar cells that circumvent assumptions inherent in the Shockley-Queisser limit depends strongly on a competition between carrier energy relaxation processes to the lattice and high energy processes that do useful work. Here we review the role of ultrafast carrier dynamics in the performance of such advanced concept devices, experimental results to date, and then present theoretical studies of such processes using ensemble Monte Carlo simulation of electrons, holes and phonons, with a particular focus on such processes in multi-quantum well systems, as well as III-V nanowires.