Cited by 393Multiferroics and related materialsFerroelectric and Piezoelectric MaterialsTopological Materials and Phenomena

Shift current bulk photovoltaic effect in polar materials—hybrid and oxide perovskites and beyond

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Tan, Liang Z, Zheng, Fan, Young, Steve M, Wang, Fenggong, Liu, Shi, Rappe, Andrew M·2016·npj Computational Materials

Abstract

The bulk photovoltaic effect (BPVE) refers to the generation of a steady photocurrent and above-bandgap photovoltage in a single-phase homogeneous material lacking inversion symmetry. The mechanism of BPVE is decidedly different from the typical p–n junction-based photovoltaic mechanism in heterogeneous materials. Recently, there has been renewed interest in ferroelectric materials for solar energy conversion, inspired by the discovery of above-bandgap photovoltages in ferroelectrics, the invention of low bandgap ferroelectric materials and the rapidly improving power conversion efficiency of metal halide perovskites. However, as long as the nature of the BPVE and its dependence on composition and structure remain poorly understood, materials engineering and the realisation of its true potential will be hampered. In this review article, we survey the history, development and recent progress in understanding the mechanisms of BPVE, with a focus on the shift current mechanism, an intrinsic BPVE that is universal to all materials lacking inversion symmetry. In addition to explaining the theory of shift current, materials design opportunities and challenges will be discussed for future applications of the BPVE.

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Crossref · 10.1038/npjcompumats.2016.26

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  • Shift and injection currents together make up the bulk photovoltaic effect, which represents a new pathway for solar energy conversion beyond traditional p-n junction photovoltaics.

    “Two other important contributions to are the shift and injection currents, together making up the so-called bulk photovoltaic effect39,40, which represents a new pathway for solar energy conversion beyond traditional p–n junction photovoltaics41.”

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Research works printed but not linked: 2

  1. Young, S. M. Theory of the Bulk Photovoltaic Effect in Oxides, and First-Principles Computational Design of Materials with Bulk Dirac Points. PhD Dissertation, 1-220 (University of Pennsylvania ScholarlyCommons, 2011).
  2. Grekov, A. A., Malitskaya, M. A., Spitsnya, V. D. & Fridkin, V. M. Photoferroelectric effects in ferroelectric semiconductors of the A V B VI C VII type with low- temperature phase changes. Sov. Phys. Crystallogr. 15, 500 (1970).

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Authors
Tan, L. Z., Zheng, F., Young, S. M., Wang, F., Liu, S., & Rappe, A. M.
Affiliations
  • University of Pennsylvania (US)
  • United States Naval Research Laboratory (US)
  • Carnegie Institution for Science (US)
Corresponding author
Tan, Liang Z
Venue
npj Computational Materials
Published
2016-08-26
Volume
2
Issue
1
ISSN
2057-3960 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2515434963
Cited by
393
References
107
Citations by year
2026: 33 · 2025: 55 · 2024: 58 · 2023: 51 · 2022: 54 · 2021: 42 · 2020: 31 · 2019: 34 · 2018: 21 · 2017: 14
FWCI
7.23
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • npj Computational Materials (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • OSTI OAI (U.S. Department of Energy Office of Scientific and Technical Information) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Funders
  • U.S. Department of Energy (DEFG0207ER46431, DE‐FG02‐, FG02-07ER46431)
  • Carnegie Institution of Washington
  • Carnegie Institution for Science
  • National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center
  • Office of Naval Research
  • U.S. Naval Research Laboratory
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Materials Science › Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials › Multiferroics and related materials
  • Physical Sciences › Materials Science › Materials Chemistry › Ferroelectric and Piezoelectric Materials
  • Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics › Topological Materials and Phenomena
Keywords
bulk photovoltaic effect, shift current, ferroelectric materials, polar materials, inversion symmetry breaking, organic-inorganic hybrid perovskites, halide perovskites, photocurrent generation, materials design

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