InGaN-based thin film solar cells: Epitaxy, structural design, and photovoltaic properties

Journal Article · Sat Mar 14 00:00:00 EDT 2015 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4914908· OSTI ID:22399279

Sang, Liwen ^[1]; Liao, Meiyong; Koide, Yasuo ^[2]; Sumiya, Masatomo ^[2]

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1. International Center for Material Nanoarchitectonics (MANA), National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0044 (Japan)
2. Wide Bandgap Materials Group, National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0044 (Japan)

In{sub x}Ga{sub 1−x}N, with the tunable direct bandgaps from ultraviolet to near infrared region, offers a promising candidate for the high-efficiency next-generation thin-film photovoltaic applications. Although the adoption of thick InGaN film as the active region is desirable to obtain efficient light absorption and carrier collection compared to InGaN/GaN quantum wells structure, the understanding on the effect from structural design is still unclear due to the poor-quality InGaN films with thickness and difficulty of p-type doping. In this paper, we comprehensively investigate the effects from film epitaxy, doping, and device structural design on the performances of the InGaN-based solar cells. The high-quality InGaN thick film is obtained on AlN/sapphire template, and p-In{sub 0.08}Ga{sub 0.92}N is achieved with a high hole concentration of more than 10{sup 18 }cm{sup −3}. The dependence of the photovoltaic performances on different structures, such as active regions and p-type regions is analyzed with respect to the carrier transport mechanism in the dark and under illumination. The strategy of improving the p-i interface by using a super-thin AlN interlayer is provided, which successfully enhances the performance of the solar cells.

• OSTI ID: 22399279
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 117, Issue 10; Other Information: (c) 2015 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ABSORPTION
ALUMINIUM NITRIDES
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
CONCENTRATION RATIO
DESIGN
EPITAXY
GALLIUM NITRIDES
HOLES
ILLUMINANCE
INDIUM COMPOUNDS
INTERFACES
PERFORMANCE
PHOTOVOLTAIC EFFECT
QUANTUM EFFICIENCY
QUANTUM WELLS
SAPPHIRE
SOLAR CELLS
THIN FILMS
ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION
VISIBLE RADIATION