Photocurrent induced by two-photon excitation in ZnTeO intermediate band solar cells

Intermediate band (IB) solar cell structures based on ZnTeO highly mismatched alloy were examined to demonstrate a photocurrent induced by a two-photon excitation (TPE) process. Two types of the devices, with and without a blocking layer for the IB, are prepared. The device with a blocked IB exhibits small external quantum efficiency (EQE) in photon energy range in which electron transitions from valence band (VB) to IB take place, implying the electron accumulation in IB. The enhancement of EQE is observed in TPE experiments as a result of electron transition from VB to conduction band via IB. (C) 2013 American Institute of Physics. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4790643]