We consider a self-assembled quantum dot (QD) system consisting of the QD itself, the wetting layer and the matrix on a substrate. The electronic structure for various III-V material combinations was determined by atomistic empirical pseudopotential calculations. Taking the widely investigated InAs/GaAs/GaAs(001) system as benchmark, we analyze the changes induced in the energy levels and offsets relevant for a QD-based intermediate band solar cell (IBSC). We explore the effects of (i) the dot material, (ii) the matrix material, and (iii) dot-matrix-substrate combinations that may enable strain balanced structures. Using as unique reference criterion the relative position of the intermediate band inside the band gap of the matrix, we suggest the dot/matrix/substrate combinations InAs/(In,Ga)P/GaAs(001), In(As,Sb)/GaAs/InP(001), and InAs/Ga(As,Sb)/InP(001) as promising candidates for QD-IBSCs.
REFERENCES
1.
A.
Luque
and A.
Martí
, Phys. Rev. Lett.
78
, 5014
(1997
).2.
V.
Popescu
, G.
Bester
, M. C.
Hanna
, A. G.
Norman
, and A.
Zunger
, Phys. Rev. B
78
, 205321
(2008
).3.
S. P.
Bremner
, M. Y.
Levy
, and C. B.
Honsberg
, Appl. Phys. Lett.
92
, 171110
(2008
).4.
A.
Luque
, A.
Martí
, N.
López
, E.
Antolín
, E.
Cánovas
, C.
Stanley
, C.
Farmer
, L. J.
Caballero
, L.
Cuadra
, and J. L.
Balenzategui
, Appl. Phys. Lett.
87
, 083505
(2005
).5.
A.
Martí
, N.
López
, E.
Antolín
, E.
Cánovas
, A.
Luque
, C. R.
Stanley
, C. D.
Farmer
, and P.
Díaz
, Appl. Phys. Lett.
90
, 233510
(2007
).6.
S. M.
Hubbard
, C. D.
Cress
, C. G.
Bailey
, R. P.
Raffaelle
, S. G.
Bailey
, and D. M.
Wilt
, Appl. Phys. Lett.
92
, 123512
(2008
).7.
C. G.
Bailey
, D. V.
Forbes
, R. P.
Raffaelle
, and S. M.
Hubbard
, Appl. Phys. Lett.
98
, 163105
(2011
).8.
K. A.
Sablon
, J. W.
Little
, K. A.
Olver
, Z. M.
Wang
, V. G.
Dorogan
, Y. I.
Mazur
, G. J.
Salamo
, and F. J.
Towner
, J. Appl. Phys.
108
, 074305
(2010
).9.
R.
Oshima
, A.
Takata
, and Y.
Okada
, Appl. Phys. Lett.
93
, 083111
(2008
).10.
Y.
Okada
, R.
Oshima
, and A.
Takata
, J. Appl. Phys.
106
, 024306
(2009
).11.
Y.
Okada
, T.
Morioka
, K.
Yoshida
, R.
Oshima
, Y.
Shoji
, T.
Inoue
, and T.
Kita
, J. Appl. Phys.
109
, 024301
(2011
).12.
K.-Y.
Ban
, S. P.
Bremner
, G.
Liu
, S. N.
Dahal
, P. C.
Dippo
, A. G.
Norman
, and C. B.
Honsberg
, Appl. Phys. Lett.
96
, 183101
(2010
).13.
K.-Y.
Ban
, W.-K.
Hong
, S. P.
Bremner
, S. N.
Dahal
, H.
McFelea
, and C. B.
Honsberg
, J. Appl. Phys.
109
, 014312
(2011
).14.
J.
He
, C. J.
Reyner
, B. L.
Liang
, K.
Nunna
, D. L.
Huffaker
, N.
Pavarelli
, K.
Gradkowski
, T. J.
Ochalski
, G.
Huyet
, V. G.
Dorogan
et al, Nano Lett.
10
, 3052
(2010
).15.
Y. I.
Mazur
, V. G.
Dorogan
, G. J.
Salamo
, G. G.
Tarasov
, B. L.
Liang
, C. J.
Reyner
, K.
Nunna
, and D. L.
Huffaker
, Appl. Phys. Lett.
100
, 033102
(2012
).16.
R. B.
Laghumavarapu
, A.
Moscho
, A.
Khoshakhlagh
, M.
El-Emawy
, L. F.
Lester
, and D. L.
Huffaker
, Appl. Phys. Lett.
90
, 173125
(2007
).17.
K. A.
Sablon
, J. W.
Little
, V.
Mitin
, A.
Sergeev
, N.
Vagidov
, and K.
Reinhardt
, Nano Lett.
11
, 2311
(2011
).18.
A.
Zunger
, Phys. Status Solidi B
224
, 727
(2001
).19.
V.
Popescu
, G.
Bester
, and A.
Zunger
, Phys. Rev. B
80
, 045327
(2009
).20.
P. N.
Keating
, Phys. Rev.
145
, 637
(1966
).21.
R. M.
Martin
, Phys. Rev. B
1
, 4005
(1970
).22.
K.
Kim
, P. R. C.
Kent
, A.
Zunger
, and C. B.
Geller
, Phys. Rev. B
66
, 045208
(2002
).23.
A. J.
Williamson
, L. W.
Wang
, and A.
Zunger
, Phys. Rev. B
62
, 12963
(2000
).24.
M.
Gong
, K.
Duan
, C.-F.
Li
, R.
Magri
, G. A.
Narvaez
, and L.
He
, Phys. Rev. B
77
, 045326
(2008
).25.
S.-H.
Wei
and A.
Zunger
, Appl. Phys. Lett.
72
, 2011
(1998
).26.
I.
Vurgaftman
, J. R.
Meyer
, and L. R.
Ram-Mohan
, J. Appl. Phys.
89
, 5815
(2001
).27.
X.
Zhu
and S. G.
Louie
, Phys. Rev. B
43
, 14142
(1991
).28.
Y.-H.
Li
, X. G.
Gong
, and S.-H.
Wei
, Phys. Rev. B
73
, 245206
(2006
).29.
S.-H.
Wei
and A.
Zunger
, Phys. Rev. B
60
, 5404
(1999
).30.
L.-W.
Wang
and A.
Zunger
, Phys. Rev. B
59
, 15806
(1999
).31.
V.
Popescu
and A.
Zunger
, Phys. Rev. Lett.
104
, 236403
(2010
).32.
V.
Popescu
and A.
Zunger
, Phys. Rev. B
85
, 085201
(2012
).33.
L.
Cuadra
, A.
Martí
, and A.
Luque
, IEEE Trans. Electron Devices
51
, 1002
(2004
).34.
N. J.
Ekins-Daukes
, K.
Kawaguchi
, and J.
Zhang
, Cryst. Growth Des.
2
, 287
(2002
).35.
L.
Bhusal
and A.
Freundlich
, Phys. Rev. B
75
, 075321
(2007
).36.
R. B.
Laghumavarapu
, M.
El-Emawy
, N.
Nuntawong
, A.
Moscho
, L. F.
Lester
, and D. L.
Huffaker
, Appl. Phys. Lett.
91
, 243115
(2007
).37.
G.
Wei
and S.
Forrest
, Nano Lett.
7
, 218
(2007
).38.
V. D.
Dasika
, J. D.
Song
, W. J.
Choi
, N. K.
Cho
, J. I.
Lee
, and R. S.
Goldman
, Appl. Phys. Lett.
95
, 163114
(2009
).39.
A.
Norman
and M.
Steiner
, private communication (2011).40.
G. A.
Narvaez
, G.
Bester
, and A.
Zunger
, J. Appl. Phys.
98
, 043708
(2005
).41.
Numerical Data and Functional Relationships in Science and Technology
, Landolt-Börnstein, New Series, Group III Vol. 22
, edited by O.
Madelung
, M.
Schultz
, and H.
Weiss
(Springer
, Berlin
, 1997
).© 2012 American Institute of Physics.
2012
American Institute of Physics
You do not currently have access to this content.
