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GaInSb and GaInAsSb thermophotovoltaic device fabrication and characterization

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/319652· OSTI ID:319652
; ; ; ;  [1]; ;  [2]
  1. Rensselaer Polytechnic Inst., Troy, NY (United States)
  2. Lockheed Martin, Inc., Schenectady, NY (United States)
Thermophotovoltaic (TPV) devices have been fabricated using epitaxial ternary and quaternary layers grown on GaSb substrates. The GaInSb layers were grown by organometallic vapor phase epitaxy (OMVPE) and the InGaAsSb lattice-matched layers were grown by liquid phase epitaxy (LPE). Device fabrication steps include unannealed p-type ohmic contacts, annealed Sn/Au n-type ohmic contacts, and a thick Ag top-surface contact using a lift-off process. Devices are characterized primarily by dark I-V, photo I-V, and quantum efficiency measurements, which are correlated to microscopic and macroscopic material properties. Particular emphasis has been on material enhancements to increase quantum efficiency and decrease dark saturation current density. TPV device performance is presently limited by the base diffusion length, typically 1 to 2 microns.
Research Organization:
Knolls Atomic Power Lab., Schenectady, NY (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy, Washington, DC (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
AC12-76SN00052
OSTI ID:
319652
Report Number(s):
KAPL-P--000174; K--97058; CONF-9705119--; ON: DE99001908
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English