Browsing by Author "Byrnes, S. J."

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Above-bandgap voltages from ferroelectric photovoltaic devices
(2010-02-01)
Yang, S. Y.
;
Seidel, J.
;
Byrnes, S. J.
;
Shafer, P.
;
Yang, C. -H.
In conventional solid-state photovoltaics, electron-hole pairs are created by light absorption in a semiconductor and separated by the electric field spaning a micrometre-thick depletion region. The maximum voltage these devices can produce is equal to the semiconductor electronic bandgap. Here, we report the discovery of a fundamentally different mechanism for photovoltaic charge separation, which operates over a distance of 1-2 nm and produces voltages that are significantly higher than the bandgap. The separation happens at previously unobserved nanoscale steps of the electrostatic potential that naturally occur at ferroelectric domain walls in the complex oxide BiFeO(3). Electric-field control over domain structure allows the photovoltaic effect to be reversed in polarity or turned off. This new degree of control, and the high voltages produced, may find application in optoelectronic devices.
Photovoltaic effects in BiFeO(3)
(2009-08-10)
Yang, S. Y.
;
Martin, L. W.
;
Byrnes, S. J.
;
Conry, T. E.
;
Basu, S. R.
We report a photovoltaic effect in ferroelectric BiFeO(3) thin films. The all-oxide heterostructures with SrRuO(3) bottom and tin doped indium oxide top electrodes are characterized by open-circuit voltages similar to 0.8-0.9 V and external quantum efficiencies up to similar to 10% when illuminated with the appropriate light. Efficiencies are at least an order of magnitude larger than the maximum efficiency under sunlight (AM 1.5) thus far reported for ferroelectric-based devices. The dependence of the measured open-circuit voltage on film thickness suggests contributions to the large open-circuit voltage from both the ferroelectric polarization and band offsets at the BiFeO(3)/tin doped indium oxide interface.
Photovoltaic effects in BiFeO3
(2009-08-10)
Yang, S. Y.
;
Martin, L. W.
;
Byrnes, S. J.
;
Conry, T. E.
;
Basu, S. R.
We report a photovoltaic effect in ferroelectric BiFeO3 thin films. The all-oxide heterostructures with SrRuO3 bottom and tin doped indium oxide top electrodes are characterized by open-circuit voltages similar to 0.8-0.9 V and external quantum efficiencies up to similar to 10% when illuminated with the appropriate light. Efficiencies are at least an order of magnitude larger than the maximum efficiency under sunlight (AM 1.5) thus far reported for ferroelectric-based devices. The dependence of the measured open-circuit voltage on film thickness suggests contributions to the large open-circuit voltage from both the ferroelectric polarization and band offsets at the BiFeO3/tin doped indium oxide interface.