Theoretical Insights into Next-Generation Hot Carrier Solar Cells

Abstract

To surpass the Shockley-Queisser limit, hot carrier solar cells (HCSCs) require absorber materials with significantly inhibited carrier cooling. The debated mechanisms governing the promisingly slow cooling in metal halide perovskites (MHPs) and III-V multi-quantum wells (MQWs) are investigated using a comprehensive Ensemble Monte Carlo (EMC) simulation framework. We quantify the hot-phonon bottleneck (HPB) effect in MHPs, detailing its dependence on carrier density and key phonon properties, and demonstrate the detrimental impact of a cold carrier background on cooling rates. By successfully modeling experimental data for type-II InAs/AlAsSb MQWs, we validate our approach and confirm that nanostructuring enhances the phonon bottleneck. This work provides key physical insights and design principles for engineering advanced HCSC materials.