The research group led by Professor Seiji Samukawa of Institute of Fluid Science and Advanced Institute for Materials Research, Tohoku University has been combining sub-10nm metal particle template technology through the assembly of new proteins with .4.5-nm-diameter iron particles (listeria ferritin) and high efficiency low energy neutral beam fabrication technology, independently developed an ultralow damage nano-fabrication technology, a 6.4nm quantum Nano-disk array structure with a surface density of over 1012cm-2 with uniform gap and defect-free was created on the silicon (Si) circuitry, establishing a solar cell manufacturing technology using a sandwich structure of silicon carbide (SiC) interlayers. Here a new band (miniband) that was formed between the silicon quantum disk array structure greatly improved the absorption efficiency compared to conventional interlayers and also greatly improved the transport property of the created carriers (electrons and holes) and proved this for the first time using the single layer silicon quantum nano-disk array structure and a sandwich structure of SiC interlayers to create a prototype solar cell, a cell with an energy conversion efficiency of 12.6% was created a world record for silicon quantum dot cells.

The results of this experiment proved that through the tandem placing of the absorber layer through laminating with 5 band layers of silicon quantum nano-disk array structure and a sandwich structure of SiC interlayers, a high efficiency silicon quantum dot solar cell with an energy conversion efficiency of over 40% could theoretically be created and was a major step forward in creating a high efficiency quantum dot solar cell made purely of silicon.

More information (Japanese)

[Contact]

Professor Seiji Samukawa

Associate Professor Tomohiro Kubota

Institute of Fluid Science, Tohoku University

TEL: +81-22-217-5240