Improving Photoelectric Energy Conversion by structuring Si Surfaces with Ge Quantum Dots

Abstract

Structuring Si surfaces with Ge quantum dots can have a beneficial effect on the photovoltage (PV), increasing the PV magnitude and decay time. The origin of this behavior is intimately related to mechanical strains developed in the vicinity of the Ge/Si interface. The structuring is a promising means of avoiding the uncontrolled production of recombination centers and offering significant enhancement of the recombination lifetime due to carrier trapping in the dots. This work can open new opportunities for advanced photoelectric devices with recombination center free nanostructures.