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Title: Reduced dislocation density in GaxIn1–xP compositionally graded buffer layers through engineered glide plane switch

Abstract

In this work we develop control over dislocation glide dynamics in GaxIn1-xP compositionally graded buffer layers (CGBs) through control of CuPt ordering on the group-III sublattice. The ordered structure is metastable in the bulk, so any glissile dislocation that disrupts the ordered pattern will release stored energy, and experience an increased glide force. Here we show how this connection between atomic ordering and dislocation glide force can be exploited to control the threading dislocation density (TDD) in GaxIn1-xP CGBs. When ordered GaxIn1-xP is graded from the GaAs lattice constant to InP, the order parameter ..eta.. decreases as x decreases, and dislocation glide switches from one set of glide planes to the other. This glide plane switch (GPS) is accompanied by the nucleation of dislocations on the new glide plane, which typically leads to increased TDD. We develop control of the GPS position within a GaxIn1-xP CGB through manipulation of deposition temperature, surfactant concentration, and strain-grading rate. We demonstrate a two-stage GaxIn1-xP CGB from GaAs to InP with sufficiently low TDD for high performance devices, such as the 4-junction inverted metamorphic multi-junction solar cell, achieved through careful control the GPS position. Here, experimental results are analyzed within the context of amore » model that considers the force balance on dislocations on the two competing glide planes as a function of the degree of ordering.« less

Authors:
 [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1]
  1. National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Renewable Power Office. Solar Energy Technologies Office
OSTI Identifier:
1348155
Alternate Identifier(s):
OSTI ID: 1396709
Report Number(s):
NREL/JA-5J00-67043
Journal ID: ISSN 0022-0248
Grant/Contract Number:  
AC36-08GO28308
Resource Type:
Journal Article: Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Journal of Crystal Growth
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 464; Journal Issue: C; Journal ID: ISSN 0022-0248
Publisher:
Elsevier
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
14 SOLAR ENERGY; 71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSICS; high resolution x-ray diffraction; line defects; metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy; semiconducting indium gallium phosphide; solar cells

Citation Formats

Schulte, Kevin L., France, Ryan M., McMahon, William E., Norman, Andrew G., Guthrey, Harvey L., and Geisz, John F. Reduced dislocation density in GaxIn1–xP compositionally graded buffer layers through engineered glide plane switch. United States: N. p., 2016. Web. doi:10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2016.11.050.
Schulte, Kevin L., France, Ryan M., McMahon, William E., Norman, Andrew G., Guthrey, Harvey L., & Geisz, John F. Reduced dislocation density in GaxIn1–xP compositionally graded buffer layers through engineered glide plane switch. United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2016.11.050
Schulte, Kevin L., France, Ryan M., McMahon, William E., Norman, Andrew G., Guthrey, Harvey L., and Geisz, John F. 2016. "Reduced dislocation density in GaxIn1–xP compositionally graded buffer layers through engineered glide plane switch". United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2016.11.050. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1348155.
@article{osti_1348155,
title = {Reduced dislocation density in GaxIn1–xP compositionally graded buffer layers through engineered glide plane switch},
author = {Schulte, Kevin L. and France, Ryan M. and McMahon, William E. and Norman, Andrew G. and Guthrey, Harvey L. and Geisz, John F.},
abstractNote = {In this work we develop control over dislocation glide dynamics in GaxIn1-xP compositionally graded buffer layers (CGBs) through control of CuPt ordering on the group-III sublattice. The ordered structure is metastable in the bulk, so any glissile dislocation that disrupts the ordered pattern will release stored energy, and experience an increased glide force. Here we show how this connection between atomic ordering and dislocation glide force can be exploited to control the threading dislocation density (TDD) in GaxIn1-xP CGBs. When ordered GaxIn1-xP is graded from the GaAs lattice constant to InP, the order parameter ..eta.. decreases as x decreases, and dislocation glide switches from one set of glide planes to the other. This glide plane switch (GPS) is accompanied by the nucleation of dislocations on the new glide plane, which typically leads to increased TDD. We develop control of the GPS position within a GaxIn1-xP CGB through manipulation of deposition temperature, surfactant concentration, and strain-grading rate. We demonstrate a two-stage GaxIn1-xP CGB from GaAs to InP with sufficiently low TDD for high performance devices, such as the 4-junction inverted metamorphic multi-junction solar cell, achieved through careful control the GPS position. Here, experimental results are analyzed within the context of a model that considers the force balance on dislocations on the two competing glide planes as a function of the degree of ordering.},
doi = {10.1016/j.jcrysgro.2016.11.050},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1348155}, journal = {Journal of Crystal Growth},
issn = {0022-0248},
number = C,
volume = 464,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu Nov 17 00:00:00 EST 2016},
month = {Thu Nov 17 00:00:00 EST 2016}
}

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Cited by: 8 works
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Works referencing / citing this record: