Recent advances in the ITO/InP solar cell

It was demonstrated that Indium Tin Oxide (ITO)/InP solar cells can now be made on as-received p(-) bulk substrates which are of nearly equal quality to those which could previously only be made on epitaxially grown p(-) InP base layers. Although this advancement is due in part to both increases in substrate quality and a better understanding of back contact formation, it appears that the passivation/compensation effects resulting from having H2 in the sputtering gas tends to reduce significantly the performance differences previously observed between these two substrates. It is shown that since high efficiency ITO/InP cells can be made from as-received substrates, and since the type conversion process is not highly spatially dependent, large area ITO/InP cells (4 sq cm) with efficiencies approaching 17 percent (Global) can be made. Furthermore, the measured open circuit voltages (V sub OC) and quantum efficiencies (QEs) from these large cells suggest that, when they are processed using optimum grid designs, the efficiencies will be nearly equal to that of the smaller cells thus far produced. It has been shown, through comparative experiments involving ITO/InP and IO/InP cells, that Sn may not be the major cause of type conversion of the InP surface and thus further implies that the ITO may not be an essential element in this type of device. Specifically, very efficient photovoltaic solar cells were made by sputtering (Sn free) In2O3 showing that type conversion and subsequent junction formation will occur even in the absence of the sputtered SN species. The result suggests that sputter damage may indeed be the important mechanism(s) of type conversion. Finally, an initial study of the stability of the ITO/InP cell done over the course of about one year has indicated that the J(sub SC) (short circuit current) and the fill factor (FF) are measurably stable within experimental certainty

Improved monolithic tandem solar cell

A single-crystal, monolithic, tandem, photovoltaic solar cell is described which includes (a) an InP substrate having upper and lower surfaces, (b) a first photoactive subcell on the upper surf ace of the InP substrate, (c) a second photoactive subcell on the first subcell; and (d) an optically transparent prismatic cover layer over the second subcell. The first photoactive subcell is GaInAsP of defined composition. The second subcell is InP. The two subcells are lattice matched

An empirical study of the performance of APMOVPE AM0 InP homojunction solar cells as a function of emitter thickness and doping, and base doping

Their excellent radiation resistance and conversion efficiencies greater than 20 percent, measured under global conditions, make InP shallow-homojunction solar cells very attractive for space or terrestrial application. In addition, modeling studies show that, for optimized design, efficiencies of these devices should exceed 20 percent even under AM0 conditions. However, a systematic experimental investigation of the influence of the various cell design parameters on cell performance has not as yet been made. For the n+/p/p+ structures investigated in the previous modeling study, the design parameters include the impurity concentrations and thicknesses of the emitter and base layers. In the work reported here, researchers discuss an experimental investigation of the effects on cell performance of varying the impurity concentrations of the emitter and base and thickness of the emitter

InP concentrator solar cells for space applications

The design, fabrication, and characterization of high-performance, n(+)/p InP shallow-homojunction (SHJ) concentrator solar cells is described. The InP device structures were grown by atmospheric-pressure metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy (APMOVPE). A preliminary assessment of the effects of grid collection distance and emitter sheet resistance on cell performance is presented. At concentration ratios of over 100, cells with AM0 efficiencies in excess of 21 percent at 25 C and 19 percent at 80 C are reported. These results indicate that high-efficiency InP concentrator cells can be fabricated using existing technologies. The performance of these cells as a function of temperature is discussed, and areas for future improvement are outlined

High-efficiency heteroepitaxial InP solar cells

High-efficiency, thin-film InP solar cells grown heteroepitaxially on GaAs and Si single-crystal bulk substrates are being developed as a means of eliminating the problems associated with using single-crystal InP substrates. A novel device structure employing a compositionally graded Ga(x)In(1-x)As layer between the bulk substrate and the InP cell layers is used to reduce the dislocation density and improve the minority carrier properties in the InP. The structures are grown in a continuous sequence of steps using computer-controlled atmospheric pressure metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy (APMOVPE). Dislocation densities as low as 3 x 10(exp 7) sq cm and minority carrier lifetimes as high as 3.3 ns are achieved in the InP layers with this method using both GaAs or Si substrates. Structures prepared in this fashion are also completely free of microcracks. These results represent a substantial improvement in InP layer quality when compared to heteroepitaxial InP prepared using conventional techniques such as thermally cycled growth and post-growth annealing. The present work is is concerned with the fabrication and characterization of high-efficiency, thin-film InP solar cells. Both one-sun and concentrator cells were prepared for device structures grown on GaAs substrates. One-cell cells have efficiencies as high as 13.7 percent at 25 C. However, results for the concentrator cells are emphasized. The concentrator cell performance is characterized as a function of the air mass zero (AM0) solar concentration ratio and operating temperature. From these data, the temperature coefficients of the cell performance parameters are derived as a function of the concentration ratio. Under concentration, the cells exhibit a dramatic increase in efficiency and an improved temperature coefficient of efficiency. At 25 C, a peak conversion efficiency of 18.9 percent is reported. At 80 C, the peak AM0 efficiency is 15.7 percent at 75.6 suns. These are the highest efficiencies yet reported for InP heteroepitaxial cells. Approaches for further improving the cell performance are discussed

InGaAs/InP double heterostructures on InP/Si templates fabricated by wafer bonding and hydrogen-induced exfoliation

Hydrogen-induced exfoliation combined with wafer bonding has been used to transfer ~600-nm-thick films of (100) InP to Si substrates. Cross-section transmission electron microscopy (TEM) shows a transferred crystalline InP layer with no observable defects in the region near the bonded interface and an intimately bonded interface. InP and Si are covalently bonded as inferred by the fact that InP/Si pairs survived both TEM preparation and thermal cycles up to 620 °C necessary for metalorganic chemical vapor deposition growth. The InP transferred layers were used as epitaxial templates for the growth of InP/In0.53Ga0.47As/InP double heterostructures. Photoluminescence measurements of the In0.53Ga0.47As layer show that it is optically active and under tensile strain, due to differences in the thermal expansion between InP and Si. These are promising results in terms of a future integration of Si electronics with optical devices based on InP-lattice-matched materials

Monolithic InP/Ga0.47In0.53As tandem solar cells for space

A review is provided of progress made in the development of InP/Ga(0.47)In(0.53)As monolithic tandem solar cells since the last SPRAT conference. Improved one-sun, three terminal tandem designs have resulted in Air Mass Zero (AM0) efficiencies as high as 23.9 pct. at 25 C. Additionally, high efficiency concentrator versions of the three terminal device were developed. The best concentrator tandem has a peak AM0 efficiency of 28.8 pct. under 40.3 suns at 25 C. For the concentrator tandems, the subcell performance parameter temperature coefficients are reported as a function of the concentration ratio. Results from a computer modeling study are presented which provide a clear direction for improving the efficiency of the concentrator tandem. The prospects for fabricating high efficiency, series connected (i.e., two terminal) InP/Ga(0.47)In(0.53)As monolithic tandem cells are also discussed

Wafer bonding and layer transfer processes for 4-junction high efficiency solar cells

A four-junction cell design consisting of InGaAs, InGeAsP, GaAs, and Ga0.5In0.5P subcells could reach 1 x AMO efficiencies of 35.4%. but relies on the integration of non-lattice-matched materials. Wafer bonding and layer transfer processes show promise in the fabrication of InP/Si epitaxial templates for growth of the bottom InGaAs and InGaAsP subcells on a Si support substrate. Subsequent wafer bonding and layer transfer of a thin Ge layer onto the lower subcell stack can serve as an epitaxial template for GaAs and Ga0.5In0.5P subcelis. Present results indicate that optically active III/V compound semiconductors can be grown on both Ge/Si and InP/Si heterostructures. Current-voltage electrical characterization of the interfaces of these structures indicates that both InP/Si and Ge/Si interfaces have specific resistances lower than 0.1 Ωcm^2 for heavily doped wafer bonded interfaces, enabling back surface power extraction from the finished cell structure

Yield and leakage currents of large area lattice matched InP/InGaAs heterostructures

Demonstrating and harnessing electroluminescent cooling at technologically viable cooling powers requires the ability to routinely fabricate large area high quality light-emitting diodes (LEDs). Detailed information on the performance and yield of relevant large area devices is not available, however. Here, we report extensive information on the yield and related large area scaling of InP/InGaAs LEDs and discuss the origin of the failure mechanisms based on lock-in thermographic imaging. The studied LEDs were fabricated as mesa structures of various sizes on epistructures grown at five different facilities specialized in the growth of III-V compound semiconductors. While the smaller mesas generally showed relatively good electrical characteristics and low leakage current densities, some of them also exhibited unusually large leakage current densities. The provided information is critical for the development and design of the optical cooling technologies relying on large area devices.Peer reviewe

InGaAs/InP double heterostructures on InP/Si templates fabricated by wafer bonding and hydrogen-induced exfoliation

Hydrogen-induced exfoliation combined with wafer bonding has been used to transfer similar to600-nm-thick films of (100) InP to Si substrates. Cross-section transmission electron microscopy (TEM) shows a transferred crystalline InP layer with no observable defects in the region near the bonded interface and an intimately bonded interface. InP and Si are covalently bonded as inferred by the fact that InP/Si pairs survived both TEM preparation and thermal cycles up to 620 degreesC necessary for metalorganic chemical vapor deposition growth. The InP transferred layers were used as epitaxial templates for the growth of InP/In0.53Ga0.47As/InP double heterostructures. Photoluminescence measurements of the In0.53Ga0.47As layer show that it is optically active and under tensile strain, due to differences in the thermal expansion between InP and Si. These are promising results in terms of a future integration of Si electronics with optical devices based on InP-lattice-matched materials