相关论文: Reaching optimal efficiencies using nano-sized pho…
We present experimental results demonstrating that, relative to continuous illumination, an increase of a factor of 3-10 in the photon efficiency of algal photo-synthesis is attainable via the judicious application of pulsed light for light…
We derive an efficiency bound for continuous quantum heat engines absorbing heat from squeezed thermal reservoirs. Our approach relies on a full-counting statistics description of nonequilibrium transport and it is not limited to the…
Excitons diffusing to a charge-separating interface is a necessary step to convert energy into current in next-generation photovoltaics. In this report, made possible by a new ultrafast spectrometer design, we compare exciton dynamics…
Understanding the thermodynamics of radiation and the quantum-mechanical interactions between light and matter is important both for theoretical purposes and for technological advances, such as determining the limits of key processes like…
Thermoelectric materials open a way to harness dissipated energy and make electronic devices less energy-demanding. Heat-to-electricity conversion requires materials with a strongly suppressed thermal conductivity but still high electronic…
Sadi Carnot's theorem regarding the maximum efficiency of heat engines is considered to be of fundamental importance in thermodynamics. This theorem famously states that the maximum efficiency depends only on the temperature of the heat…
In many applications, such as the detection of ultra-high energy cosmic rays using the air fluorescence method, the number of photons incident on the detector must be known. This requires a precise knowledge of the absolute efficiency of…
The photon detection efficiencies of multi-pixel Geiger-mode avalanche photodiodes manufactured by different produ cers are estimated. A new fit method of the response spectra to low-intensity light, taking into ac count after-pulse and…
Thermophotovotaics convert thermal radiation from local heat sources to electricity. A new breakthrough in creating highly efficient thin-film solar cells can potentially enable thermophotovoltaic systems with unprecedented high efficiency.…
We analytically derive the upper bound on the overall efficiency of single-photon generation based on cavity quantum electrodynamics (QED), where cavity internal loss is treated explicitly. The internal loss leads to a tradeoff relation…
The photoelectric conversion efficiency of a solar cell is dependent on its temperature. When the solar radiation is incident on the photovoltaics (PV) panel, a large portion of it is absorbed by the underlying material which increases its…
Molecular junctions and similar devices described by an energy dependent transmission coefficient can have a high linear response thermoelectric figure of merit. Since such devices are inherently non-linear, the full thermodynamic…
The thermoelectric performance at a given output power of a voltage-probe heat engine, exposed to an external magnetic field, is investigated in linear irreversible thermodynamics. For the model, asymmetric parameter, general figures of…
Thermophotovoltaic devices are energy-conversion systems generating an electric current from the thermal photons radiated by a hot body. In far field, the efficiency of these systems is limited by the thermodynamic Schockley-Queisser limit…
The problem of inference is applied to the process of work extraction from two constant heat capacity reservoirs, when the thermodynamic coordinates of the process are not fully specified. The information that is lacking, includes both the…
Most optical quantum devices require deterministic single-photon emitters. Schemes so far demonstrated in the solid state imply an energy relaxation which tends to spoil the coherent nature of the time evolution, and with it the photon…
We study the thermodynamics of near-field thermal radiation between two identical polar media at different temperatures. As an application, we consider an idealized energy harvesting process from sources at near room temperature at the…
Energy conversion is most efficient for micro or nano machines with tight coupling between input and output power. To reach meaningful amounts of power, ensembles of $N$ such machines must be considered. We use a model system to demonstrate…
Single-junction photovoltaic cells are considered to be efficient solar energy converters, but even ideal cells cannot exceed the their fundamental thermodynamic efficiency limit, first analysed by Shockley and Queisser (SQ). For moderated…
The thermodynamic limit of photovoltaic efficiency for a single-junction solar cell can be readily predicted using the bandgap of the active light absorbing material. Such an approach overlooks the energy loss due to non-radiative…