Thin film gallium arsenide solar cell research. Third quarterly project report, September 1, 1980-November 30, 1980. [Antireflection coating]

Technical Report · Mon Dec 01 00:00:00 EST 1980

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6625798· OSTI ID:6625798

Chu, S. S.

The major objective of this contract is to produce gallium arsenide solar cells of 10% conversion efficiency in films of less than 10 micrometers thick which have been deposited by chemical vapor deposition on graphite or tungsten coated graphite substrates. Major efforts during this quarter were directed to: (1) the optimization of the deposition of gallium arsenide films of 10 ..mu..m thickness or less on tungsten/graphic substrates, (2) the investigation of the effectiveness of various grain boundary passivation techniques, (3) the deposition of tantalum pentoxide by ion beam sputtering as an antireflection coating, (4) the deposition of gallium aluminium arsenide by the organometallic process, and (5) the fabrication and characterization of large area Schottky barrier type solar cells from gallium arsenide films of about 10 ..mu..m thickness. Various grain boundary passivation techniques, such as the anodic oxidation, thermal oxidation, and ruthenium treatment, have been investigated. The combination of thermal oxidation and ruthenium treatment has been used to fabricate Schottky barrier type solar cells. Large area MOS solar cells of 9 cm/sup 2/ area with AMl efficiency of 8.5% have been fabricated from ruthenium treated gallium arsenide films of 10 ..mu..m thickness. The construction of the apparatus for the deposition of gallium aluminum arsenide by the organometallic process has been completed. The deposition of good quality tantalum pentoxide film as an antireflection coating has been carried out by the ion beam sputtering technique. The short-circuit current density and AMl efficiency of the solar cells are increased by approximately 60%, with a slight increase in the open-circuit voltage. Details are presented. (WHK)

• Research Organization: Southern Methodist Univ., Dallas, TX (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-77CH00178
• OSTI ID: 6625798
• Report Number(s): SERI/PR-9002-3-T1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
ALUMINIUM OXIDES
CHEMICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION
GALLIUM ARSENIDE SOLAR CELLS
FABRICATION
GALLIUM ARSENIDES
TANTALUM OXIDES
SPUTTERING
ANTIREFLECTION COATINGS
EFFICIENCY
FILMS
GRAIN BOUNDARIES
PASSIVATION
SCHOTTKY BARRIER DIODES
ALUMINIUM COMPOUNDS
ARSENIC COMPOUNDS
ARSENIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL COATING
COATINGS
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
DEPOSITION
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
EQUIPMENT
GALLIUM COMPOUNDS
MICROSTRUCTURE
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
PNICTIDES
SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
SEMICONDUCTOR DIODES
SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SURFACE COATING
TANTALUM COMPOUNDS
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
140501* - Solar Energy Conversion- Photovoltaic Conversion
360601 - Other Materials- Preparation & Manufacture