Prof Laura Herz FRS

Abstract:

InAsSb nanowires are promising elements for thermoelectric devices, infrared photodetectors, high-speed transistors, as well as thermophotovoltaic cells. By changing the Sb alloy fraction the mid-infrared bandgap energy and thermal conductivity may be tuned for specific device applications. Using both terahertz and Raman noncontact probes, we show that Sb alloying increases the electron mobility in the nanowires by over a factor of 3 from InAs to InAs0.65Sb0.35. We also extract the temperature-dependent electron mobility via both terahertz and Raman spectroscopy, and we report the highest electron mobilities for InAs0.65Sb0.35 nanowires to date, exceeding 16,000 cm2 V–1 s–1 at 10 K.

Abstract:

The rise of metal-halide perovskite solar cells has captivated the research community, promising to disrupt the current energy landscape. While a sizable percentage of the research done on this class of materials has been focused on the neat and iodide-rich perovskites, bromide-based perovskites can deliver substantially higher voltages because of their relatively wide band gaps of over 2 eV. The potential for efficient, high-voltage devices makes materials such as these incredibly attractive for multijunction photovoltaic applications. Here, we use the acetonitrile/methylamine solvent system to deposit smooth, highly crystalline films of CH3NH3PbBr3. By using choline chloride as a passivating agent for these films, we achieve photoluminescence quantum efficiencies of up to 5.5% and demonstrate charge-carrier mobilities of 17.8 cm2/(V s). Incorporating these films into photovoltaic devices, we achieve scanned power conversion efficiencies of up to 8.9%, with stabilized efficiencies of 7.6%, providing a simple route to realizing efficient, high-voltage CH3NH3PbBr3 planar-heterojunction devices.

Abstract:

We report the template-directed synthesis of a π-conjugated 14-porphyrin nanoball. This structure consists of two intersecting nanorings containing six and 10 porphyrin units. Fluorescence upconversion spectroscopy experiments demonstrate that electronic excitation delocalizes over the whole three-dimensional π system in less than 0.3 ps if the nanoball is bound to its templates or over 2 ps if the nanoball is empty.

Abstract:

Perovskite solar cells have shown a meteoric rise of power conversion efficiency and a steady pace of improvements in their stability of operation. Such rapid progress has triggered research into approaches that can boost efficiencies beyond the Shockley-Queisser limit stipulated for a single-junction cell under normal solar illumination conditions. The tandem solar cell architecture is one concept here that has recently been successfully implemented. However, the approach of solar concentration has not been sufficiently explored so far for perovskite photovoltaics, despite its frequent use in the area of inorganic semiconductor solar cells. Here, the prospects of hybrid perovskites are assessed for use in concentrator solar cells. Solar cell performance parameters are theoretically predicted as a function of solar concentration levels, based on representative assumptions of charge-carrier recombination and extraction rates in the device. It is demonstrated that perovskite solar cells can fundamentally exhibit appreciably higher energy-conversion efficiencies under solar concentration, where they are able to exceed the Shockley-Queisser limit and exhibit strongly elevated open-circuit voltages. It is therefore concluded that sufficient material and device stability under increased illumination levels will be the only significant challenge to perovskite concentrator solar cell applications.

Abstract:

Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only. Nanowires show unique promise as nanoscale building blocks for a multitude of optoelectronic devices, ranging from solar cells to terahertz photonic devices. We will discuss the epitaxial growth of these nanowires in novel geometries and crystallographic phases, and the use of terahertz conductivity spectroscopy to guide the development of nanowire-based devices. As an example, we will focus on the development of nanowire-based polarization modulators for terahertz communications systems.