On the design and performance of InGaN/Si double-junction photocathodes

Navid, Ishtiaque A.; Vanka, Srinivas; Awni, Rasha A.; Xiao, Yixin; Song, Zhaoning; Yan, Yanfa; Mi, Zetian

doi:10.1063/5.0050708

Title: On the design and performance of InGaN/Si double-junction photocathodes

Journal Article · Fri Jun 18 00:00:00 EDT 2021 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0050708· OSTI ID:1848677

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University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor, MI (United States). Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
University of Toledo, Toledo, OH (United States). Department of Physics and Astronomy, and Wright Center for Photovoltaics Innovation and Commercialization (PVIC)

Via a combined theoretical and experimental study, we have investigated the synthesis and performance characteristics of InGaN/Si double-junction photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting devices, which promise a theoretical solar-to-hydrogen conversion efficiency ~30% under AM 1.5G one-sun illumination. The double-junction photocathodes consist of a p⁺-InGaN top light absorber and a Si bottom p-n junction, which are connected through a nanowire tunnel junction. The effect of indium composition of the top light absorber as well as the impact of p-type Mg dopant incorporation on the PEC performance was studied. Experimentally, the sample with 32% indium composition showed a maximum photocurrent density of ~9 mA/cm² at 0.4 mV vs reverse hydrogen electrode (RHE) with applied bias photon-to-current efficiency (ABPE) of ~9.5%. An optimum p-type doping level ~1 × 10¹⁷ cm^-3 was also identified, which results in the best device performance as a result of optimum surface band bending as well as vertical charge carrier (hole) transport. These results also show a good agreement with our theoretical analysis. This work provides significant insights in advancing the design and development of high efficiency PEC devices for artificial photosynthesis using industry ready materials, e.g., Si and GaN, to achieve large-scale, low-cost onsite hydrogen fuel production.

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Research Organization:: Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)

Grant/Contract Number:: EE0008086

OSTI ID:: 1848677

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1797605

Journal Information:: Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 118, Issue 24; ISSN 0003-6951

Publisher:: American Institute of Physics (AIP)Copyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Title: On the design and performance of InGaN/Si double-junction photocathodes

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