External-quantum-efficiency enhancement in quantum-dot solar cells with a Fabry-Perot light-trapping structure

In this work, we have experimentally investigated the impact of light trapping on the performance of InAs/GaAs quantum dot (QD) solar cells. To increase the amount of absorbed near-infrared photons, we fabricated a thin-film QD solar cell with a backside mirror where the positions of the QD layers were matched with the intensity peaks of one of the Fabry-Perot (FP) resonances in this structure to enable enhanced QD absorption near 1192 nm. We demonstrate that the external quantum efficiency at a given FP resonance wavelength of such an InAs/GaAs-based QD solar cell can be increased by an order of magnitude over solar cells without FP resonance by optimally positioning the QD layers.

Automated summary

In this study, we investigated the impact of light trapping on the performance of InAs/GaAs quantum dot (QD) solar cells. By matching the positions of the QD layers with the intensity peaks of a Fabry-Perot resonance, we achieved enhanced QD absorption near 1192 nm in a thin-film QD solar cell with a backside mirror. Our results demonstrate a ten-fold increase in the external quantum efficiency at a specific FP resonance wavelength compared to solar cells without FP resonance by optimizing the positioning of the QD layers.