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P-N junction01:11

P-N junction

A p-n junction is formed when p-type and n-type semiconductor materials are joined together. At the interface of the p-n junction, holes from the p-side and electrons from the n-side begin to diffuse into the opposite sides due to the concentration gradient. This diffusion of carriers leads to a region around the junction where there are no free charge carriers, known as the depletion region. The charge density within the depletion region for the n-side and p-side can be described by the...
Photosystem I01:27

Photosystem I

Although structurally similar to photosystem II (PSII), photosystem I (PSI) is has a different electron supplier and electron acceptor.
Both these photosystems work in concert. An excited electron from PSII is relayed to PSI via an electron transport chain in the thylakoid membrane of the chloroplast, which is comprised of the carrier molecule plastoquinone, the dual-protein cytochrome complex, and plastocyanin. As electrons move between PSII and PSI, they lose energy and must be re-energized...
Photoelectric Effect02:26

Photoelectric Effect

When light of a particular wavelength strikes a metal surface, electrons are emitted. This is called the photoelectric effect. The minimum frequency of light that can cause such emission of electrons is called the threshold frequency, which is specific to the metal. Light with a frequency lower than the threshold frequency, even if it is of high intensity, cannot initiate the emission of electrons. However, when the frequency is higher than the threshold value, the number of electrons ejected...
Voltaic/Galvanic Cells02:47

Voltaic/Galvanic Cells

Spontaneous Chemical Reactions
Spontaneous redox reactions occur abundantly in nature. The chemical reaction occurring in a disposable AA battery powering our remote controls is one such example of a spontaneous redox reaction. Another example is the immersion of coiled copper wire into an aqueous silver nitrate solution. The reaction shows a gradual, visually impressive color change from colorless to bright blue and the formation of a grey precipitate on the copper wire. In this experiment,...
Photosystem II01:22

Photosystem II

The multi-protein complex photosystem II (PS II) harvests photons and transfers their energy through its bound pigments to its reaction center, and ultimately to photosystem I (PSI) through the electron transport chain. The pigments responsible for caputirng the light energy in photosystems include chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and carotenoids.
The pigment molecules are arranged across  two photosystem domains — the antenna complex and the reaction center. The main aim of the pigment molecules...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 17, 2026

Ambient Method for the Production of an Ionically Gated Carbon Nanotube Common Cathode in Tandem Organic Solar Cells
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Ambient Method for the Production of an Ionically Gated Carbon Nanotube Common Cathode in Tandem Organic Solar Cells

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Time-asymmetric photovoltaics.

Martin A Green1

  • 1ARC Photovoltaics Centre of Excellence, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia 2052. m.green@unsw.edu.au

Nano Letters
|October 17, 2012
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

New photovoltaic devices with time-asymmetrical properties may surpass current solar energy conversion efficiency limits. This research challenges the traditional Shockley-Queisser detailed balance approach by incorporating time-reversal asymmetry for enhanced solar cell performance.

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Published on: July 18, 2015

Area of Science:

  • Photovoltaics
  • Solid-state physics
  • Materials science

Background:

  • The Shockley-Queisser detailed balance model sets theoretical limits for photovoltaic energy conversion efficiency.
  • This model relies on the assumption of time-reversal invariance, which is fundamental to detailed balance calculations.
  • Recent advancements in magneto-optical devices introduce time-asymmetrical functionalities.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of time-asymmetry on photovoltaic energy conversion efficiency.
  • To explore whether exceeding the established Shockley-Queisser limits is possible.
  • To analyze how time-asymmetry alters the emission-absorption relationship in solar cells.

Main Methods:

  • Theoretical analysis of photovoltaic energy conversion.
  • Modification of the detailed balance approach to include time-asymmetry.
  • Modeling the behavior of compact, layered, time-asymmetrical magneto-optical devices.

Main Results:

  • Time-asymmetry fundamentally alters the emission-absorption relationship in solar cells.
  • The established photovoltaic performance limits, based on time-reversal invariance, can be surpassed.
  • Time-asymmetrical magneto-optical devices offer a pathway to enhanced solar cell efficiencies.

Conclusions:

  • The assumption of time-reversal invariance in the Shockley-Queisser model is a key factor limiting theoretical photovoltaic efficiency.
  • Incorporating time-asymmetry, achievable with new magneto-optical devices, provides a route to overcome these traditional limits.
  • Future solar cell designs could leverage time-asymmetrical principles for significantly improved energy conversion.