Application of photoluminescence and electroluminescence techniques to the characterization of intermediate band solar cells

The intermediatebandsolarcell (IBSC) is a photovoltaic device with a theoretical conversion efficiency limit of 63.2%. In recent years many attempts have been made to fabricate an intermediateband material which behaves as the theory states. One characteristic feature of an IBSC is its luminescence spectrum. In this work the temperature dependence of the photoluminescence (PL) and electroluminescence (EL) spectra of InAs/GaAs QD-IBSCs together with their reference cell have been studied. It is shown that EL measurements provide more reliable information about the behaviour of the IB material inside the IBSC structure than PL measurements. At low temperatures, the EL spectra are consistent with the quasi-Fermi level splits described by the IBSC model, whereas at room temperature they are not. This result is in agreement with previously reported analysis of the quantum efficiency of the solarcells

Gasto energético aeróbico y anaeróbico en un circuito con cargas a seis intensidades diferentes. (Aerobic and anaerobic energy expenditure during at circuit weight training through six different intensities).

El entrenamiento con cargas es una actividad anaeróbica glucolítica intensa y se ha comprobado que el error en las estimaciones del gasto energético en esta actividad varía entre un 13 y un 30%. El principal objetivo de este trabajo es describir la contribución anaeróbica de energía en un circuito con cargas. Doce hombres (20-26 años) y diecisiete mujeres (18-29 años) estudiantes de Ciencias de la Actividad Física y del Deporte realizaron un entrenamiento en circuito de cargas a 6 intensidades diferentes (entre el 30% y 80% de su 15RM). Durante la totalidad de los circuitos se registró el gasto energético aeróbico por calorimetría indirecta, la frecuencia cardiaca con pulsómetro Polar® y la concentración de lactato en sangre capilar para medir la contribución anaeróbica. El incremento que produjo la energía anaeróbica se situó entre el 5,1% y un máximo del 13,5%, lo que hace evidente que medir o no la contribución anaeróbica en el entrenamiento en circuito puede provocar un error medio del 9,65%. Existen diferencias significativas (Pmenor que 0,05) entre el gasto energético aeróbico y total (aeróbico+anaeróbico) en todas las intensidades, en un circuito de entrenamiento con cargas a intensidades progresivas.

Room temperature photoluminescence of InGaAs Surface Quantum Dots

Self-assembled InGaAs quantum dots show unique physical properties such as three dimensional confinement, high size homogeneity, high density and low number of dislocations. They have been extensively used in the active regions of laser devices for optical communications applications [1]. Therefore, buried quantum dots (BQDs) embedded in wider band gap materials have been normally studied. The wave confinement in all directions and the stress field around the dot affect both optical and electrical properties [2, 3]. However, surface quantum dots (SQDs) are less affected by stress, although their optical and electrical characteristics have a strong dependence on surface fluctuation. Thus, they can play an important role in sensor applications

Oxygen photo-adsorption related quenching of photoluminescence in group-III nitride nanocolumns

GaN and InGaN nanocolumns of various compositions are studied by room-temperature photoluminescence (PL) under different ambient conditions. GaN nanocolumns exhibit a reversible quenching upon exposure to air under constant UV excitation, following a t−1/2 time dependence and resulting in a total reduction of intensity by 85–90%, as compared to PL measured in vacuum, with no spectral change. This effect is not observed when exposing the samples to pure nitrogen. We attribute this effect to photoabsorption and photodesorption of oxygen that modifies the surface potential bending. InGaN nanocolumns, under the same experimental conditions do not show the same quenching features: The high-energy part of the broad PL line is not modified by exposure to air, whereas a lower-energy part, which does quench by 80–90%, can now be distinguished. We discuss the different behaviors in terms of carrier localization and possible composition or strain gradients in the InGaN nanocolumns.