ASU Electronic Theses and Dissertations
This collection includes most of the ASU Theses and Dissertations from 2011 to present. ASU Theses and Dissertations are available in downloadable PDF format; however, a small percentage of items are under embargo. Information about the dissertations/theses includes degree information, committee members, an abstract, supporting data or media.
In addition to the electronic theses found in the ASU Digital Repository, ASU Theses and Dissertations can be found in the ASU Library Catalog.
Dissertations and Theses granted by Arizona State University are archived and made available through a joint effort of the ASU Graduate College and the ASU Libraries. For more information or questions about this collection contact or visit the Digital Repository ETD Library Guide or contact the ASU Graduate College at gradformat@asu.edu.
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- All Subjects: Heterostructures
Description
A primary motivation of research in photovoltaic technology is to obtain higher efficiency photovoltaic devices at reduced cost of production so that solar electricity can be cost competitive. The majority of photovoltaic technologies are based on p-n junction, with efficiency potential being much lower than the thermodynamic limits of individual technologies and thereby providing substantial scope for further improvements in efficiency. The thesis explores photovoltaic devices using new physical processes that rely on thin layers and are capable of attaining the thermodynamic limit of photovoltaic technology. Silicon heterostructure is one of the candidate technologies in which thin films induce a minority carrier collecting junction in silicon and the devices can achieve efficiency close to the thermodynamic limits of silicon technology. The thesis proposes and experimentally establishes a new theory explaining the operation of silicon heterostructure solar cells. The theory will assist in identifying the optimum properties of thin film materials for silicon heterostructure and help in design and characterization of the devices, along with aiding in developing new devices based on this technology. The efficiency potential of silicon heterostructure is constrained by the thermodynamic limit (31%) of single junction solar cell and is considerably lower than the limit of photovoltaic conversion (~ 80 %). A further improvement in photovoltaic conversion efficiency is possible by implementing a multiple quasi-fermi level system (MQFL). A MQFL allows the absorption of sub band gap photons with current being extracted at a higher band-gap, thereby allowing to overcome the efficiency limit of single junction devices. A MQFL can be realized either by thin epitaxial layers of alternating higher and lower band gap material with nearly lattice matched (quantum well) or highly lattice mismatched (quantum dot) structure. The thesis identifies the material combination for quantum well structure and calculates the absorption coefficient of a MQFl based on quantum well. GaAsSb (barrier)/InAs(dot) was identified as a candidate material for MQFL using quantum dot. The thesis explains the growth mechanism of GaAsSb and the optimization of GaAsSb and GaAs heterointerface.
ContributorsGhosha, Kuṇāla (Author) / Bowden, Stuart (Thesis advisor) / Honsberg, Christiana (Thesis advisor) / Vasileska, Dragica (Committee member) / Goodnick, Stephen (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2011
Description
The quest to find efficient algorithms to numerically solve differential equations isubiquitous in all branches of computational science. A natural approach to address
this problem is to try all possible algorithms to solve the differential equation and
choose the one that is satisfactory to one's needs. However, the vast variety of algorithms
in place makes this an extremely time consuming task. Additionally, even
after choosing the algorithm to be used, the style of programming is not guaranteed
to result in the most efficient algorithm. This thesis attempts to address the same
problem but pertinent to the field of computational nanoelectronics, by using PETSc
linear solver and SLEPc eigenvalue solver packages to efficiently solve Schrödinger
and Poisson equations self-consistently.
In this work, quasi 1D nanowire fabricated in the GaN material system is considered
as a prototypical example. Special attention is placed on the proper description
of the heterostructure device, the polarization charges and accurate treatment of the
free surfaces. Simulation results are presented for the conduction band profiles, the
electron density and the energy eigenvalues/eigenvectors of the occupied sub-bands
for this quasi 1D nanowire. The simulation results suggest that the solver is very
efficient and can be successfully used for the analysis of any device with two dimensional
confinement. The tool is ported on www.nanoHUB.org and as such is freely
available.
this problem is to try all possible algorithms to solve the differential equation and
choose the one that is satisfactory to one's needs. However, the vast variety of algorithms
in place makes this an extremely time consuming task. Additionally, even
after choosing the algorithm to be used, the style of programming is not guaranteed
to result in the most efficient algorithm. This thesis attempts to address the same
problem but pertinent to the field of computational nanoelectronics, by using PETSc
linear solver and SLEPc eigenvalue solver packages to efficiently solve Schrödinger
and Poisson equations self-consistently.
In this work, quasi 1D nanowire fabricated in the GaN material system is considered
as a prototypical example. Special attention is placed on the proper description
of the heterostructure device, the polarization charges and accurate treatment of the
free surfaces. Simulation results are presented for the conduction band profiles, the
electron density and the energy eigenvalues/eigenvectors of the occupied sub-bands
for this quasi 1D nanowire. The simulation results suggest that the solver is very
efficient and can be successfully used for the analysis of any device with two dimensional
confinement. The tool is ported on www.nanoHUB.org and as such is freely
available.
ContributorsBaikadi, Pranay Kumar Reddy (Author) / Vasileska, Dragica (Thesis advisor) / Goodnick, Stephen (Committee member) / Povolotskyi, Mykhailo (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2020