• DocumentCode
    1869316
  • Title

    Absorption coefficient for Multiple-Quasi Fermi level system in quantum well

  • Author

    Ghosh, Kunal ; Honsberg, Christiana

  • Author_Institution
    Solar Power Lab., Arizona State Univ., Tempe, AZ, USA
  • fYear
    2011
  • fDate
    19-24 June 2011
  • Abstract
    The absorption coefficients are necessary to determine the rate of radiative transition. In this work, absorption coefficient of one of the transition (transition from valence band to confined state in the quantum well) for a Multiple Quasi-Fermi level system (MQFL system) is derived from Fermi´s golden rule while the other two absorption coefficients are calculated based on previously published work. The results are discussed with respect to AlInAs (barrier)/InAsP (well) quantum well system that is previously identified as one of the material combinations for a MQFL system. The results show the non-linear variation of absorption coefficients governing the transitions in the well (both from the confined states in the well to the continuum states and also from the valence band to the confined states) with the change in the quasi-Fermi level of the confined state. The results also show that the two absorption coefficients balance each other. As the carrier concentration in the confined states increase, the absorption coefficient for transition from the well to the continuum states increase while the absorption coefficient for transition from valence band to the confined states decrease and vice-versa. The results hence signify that provided the continuum states are coupled to the confined states only by radiative transition, it is possible to maintain a third quasi-Fermi level corresponding to the confined carriers and hence a MQFL system can be realized.
  • Keywords
    Fermi level; III-V semiconductors; absorption coefficients; aluminium compounds; carrier density; indium compounds; infrared detectors; photodetectors; semiconductor quantum wells; valence bands; AlInAs-InAsP; MQFL system; absorption coefficient; carrier concentration; continuum states; fermi golden rule; multiple-quasifermi level system; nonlinear variation; quantum well system; radiative transition; valence band; Absorption; Educational institutions; Energy states; Equations; Materials; Mathematical model; Strain;
  • fLanguage
    English
  • Publisher
    ieee
  • Conference_Titel
    Photovoltaic Specialists Conference (PVSC), 2011 37th IEEE
  • Conference_Location
    Seattle, WA
  • ISSN
    0160-8371
  • Print_ISBN
    978-1-4244-9966-3
  • Type

    conf

  • DOI
    10.1109/PVSC.2011.6186486
  • Filename
    6186486