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Study of minority carrier diffusion lengths in photoactive layers of multijunction solar cells

Journal Article · · Semiconductors
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  1. Russian Academy of Sciences, Ioffe Physical Technical Institute (Russian Federation)

A technique for determining a minority carrier's diffusion length in photoactive III-V layers of solar cells by approximating their spectral characteristics is presented. Single-junction GaAs, Ge and multi-junction GaAs/Ge, GaInP/GaAs, and GaInP/GaInAs/Ge solar cells fabricated by hydride metal-organic vapor-phase epitaxy (H-MOVPE) have been studied. The dependences of the minority carrier diffusion length on the doping level of p-Ge and n-GaAs are determined. It is shown that the parameters of solid-state diffusion of phosphorus atoms to the p-Ge substrate from the n-GaInP nucleation layer are independent of the thickness of the latter within 35-300 nm. It is found that the diffusion length of subcells of multijunction structures in Ga(In)As layers is smaller in comparison with that of single-junction structures.

OSTI ID:
21562233
Journal Information:
Semiconductors, Journal Name: Semiconductors Journal Issue: 8 Vol. 44; ISSN SMICES; ISSN 1063-7826
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English