A statistical exploration of multiple exciton generation in silicon quantum dots and optoelectronic application

Abstract

We have carried out an investigation of multiple exciton generation (MEG) in Si quantum dots (QDs) and its application in optoelectronic devices. A simple yet effective statistical model has been proposed based on Fermi statistical theory and impact ionization mechanism. It is demonstrated that the MEG efficiency depends on both the radius of Si QDs and the energy of incident photons, with the MEG threshold energy in the range of ∼2.2–3.1 Eg depending on the dot radius. While limited improvement has been observed in power conversion efficiency of single stage solar cells, MEG in Si QDs exhibits prospective for application in ultraviolet detectors due to the high internal quantum efficiency under short incident light.