Influence of Hot-Carrier Extraction from a Photovoltaic Absorber: An Evaporative Approach

Energy-selective extraction of photoexcited charge carriers is the key feature of a hot-carrier solar cell, but results in detrimental feedback for the electrons and holes remaining in the absorber. This paper highlights the influence of carrier harvesting on the solar cell's properties via a simple model inspired by evaporative cooling. This approach notably provides a straightforward path to unequivocal demonstration of hot-carrier collection by measuring the cooling---or heating---of the steady-state distribution under extraction. This physical insight should facilitate the engineering of next-generation photovoltaics for clean, renewable energy.