Angular dependence of light trapping in In{sub 0.3}Ga{sub 0.7}As/GaAs quantum-well solar cells

Journal Article · Tue Jan 28 00:00:00 EST 2014 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4862931· OSTI ID:22275674

Li, X. H.; Li, P. C.; Yu, E. T. ^[1]; Hu, D. Z.; Schaadt, D. M. ^[2]

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1. Microelectronics Research Center, University of Texas at Austin, 10100 Burnet Rd., Austin, Texas 78758 (United States)
2. Clausthal Technical University, Institute of Energy Research and Physical Technologies, Clausthal (Germany)

The dependence of light trapping effects in In{sub 0.3}Ga{sub 0.7}As/GaAs quantum-well solar cells on wavelength and incident angle is experimentally characterized and analyzed. Separation of active device layers from their epitaxial growth substrate enables integration of thin-film semiconductor device layers with nanostructured metal/dielectric rear contacts to increase optical absorption via coupling to both Fabry-Perot resonances and guided lateral propagation modes in the semiconductor. The roles of Fabry-Perot resonances and coupling to guided modes are analyzed via photocurrent response measurements and numerical modeling for light incident at angles of 0° (normal incidence) to 30° off normal. Light trapping enables external quantum efficiency at long wavelengths as high as 2.9% per quantum well to be achieved experimentally, substantially exceeding the ∼1% per quantum well level typically observed. Increased long wavelength quantum efficiency is shown in experimental measurements to persist with increasing angle of incidence and is explained as a consequence of the large number of guided modes available in the device structure.

• OSTI ID: 22275674
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 115, Issue 4; Other Information: (c) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY
ABSORPTION
COUPLING
DIELECTRIC MATERIALS
EPITAXY
GALLIUM ARSENIDES
HETEROJUNCTIONS
INCIDENCE ANGLE
INDIUM COMPOUNDS
LAYERS
QUANTUM EFFICIENCY
QUANTUM WELLS
SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS
SOLAR CELLS
SUBSTRATES
THIN FILMS
TRAPPING
VISIBLE RADIATION