Delayed response to the photovoltaic performance in a double quantum dots photocell with spatially correlated fluctuation

Abstract

A viable strategy for enhancing photovoltaic performance is to comprehend the underlying quantum physical regime of charge transfer in a double quantum dots (DQD) photocell. This work explored the photovoltaic performance dependent spatially correlated fluctuation in a DQD photocell. The effects of spatially correlated fluctuation on charge transfer and output photovoltaic efficiency were explored in a proposed DQD photocell model. The results revealed that the charge transport process and the time to peak photovoltaic efficiency were both significantly delayed by the spatially correlated fluctuation, while the anti-spatially correlated fluctuation reduced the output peak photovoltaic efficiency. Further results revealed that the delayed response could be suppressed by gap difference and tunneling coefficient within two dots. Subsequent investigation demonstrated that the delayed response was caused by the spatial correlation fluctuation slowing the generative process of noise-induced coherence, which had previously been proven to improve the quantum photovoltaic performance in quantum photocells. And the reduced photovoltaic properties were verified by the damaged noise-induced coherence owing to the anti-spatial correlation fluctuation and a hotter thermal ambient environment. The discovery of delayed response generated by the spatially correlated fluctuations will deepen the understanding of quantum features of electron transfer, as well as promises to take our understanding even further concerning quantum techniques for high efficiency DQD solar cells.