Indium phosphide/cadmium sulfide thin-film solar cells. Final report, June 1980-June 1981

Technical Report · Thu Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1981

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5356123· OSTI ID:5356123

Zanio, K.

Thin-films of InP were grown on recrystallized CdS (RXCdS) and InP by planar reactive deposition for the purpose of determining the factors which limit the development of InP/RXCdS thin-film solar cells. InP films were grown on RXCdS at substrate temperatures of 380/sup 0/C, 330/sup 0/C, and 280/sup 0/C; epitaxy of InP was achieved only at 280/sup 0/C. An InCdS transition layer is present at temperatures above 300/sup 0/C and may inhibit InP epitaxy. Be-doped films could not be made p-type on either RXCdS or semi-insulating (100) InP at a substrate temperature of 280/sup 0/C. P-type behavior was only occasionally obtained at 330/sup 0/C. At approximately 330/sup 0/C, MBE data shows a transition from a reconstructed surface at a higher temperature to an atomically smooth surface at a lower temperature. A change in surface kinetics at this temperature may alter the doping mechanism. Therefore, the electron concentration was examined as a function of the ratio of the phosphorus to indium fluxes for unintentionally doped films prepared on (100) semi-insulating InP substrates at 330/sup 0/C to alter the surface kinetics. No dependence of conductivity on deviations from stoichiometry was found. The growth of InP in a halide environment at reduced pressure is recommended as an alternative approach to enhance the growth of p-type InP at a lower substrate temperature. Growth of InP with PCl/sub 3/ was initiated at atmospheric pressure. Alternative device structures are presented which avoid the p-type doping problem.

• Research Organization: Hughes Research Labs., Malibu, CA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-77CH00178
• OSTI ID: 5356123
• Report Number(s): SERI/TR-9196-T2; ON: DE82003590
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140501* -- Solar Energy Conversion-- Photovoltaic Conversion
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
BERYLLIUM
CADMIUM SULFIDE SOLAR CELLS
CARRIER DENSITY
CHEMICAL COATING
CHEMICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION
CRYSTAL DOPING
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
DEPOSITION
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ELEMENTS
EPITAXY
EQUIPMENT
FABRICATION
FILMS
GRAIN SIZE
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
IMPURITIES
INDIUM COMPOUNDS
INDIUM PHOSPHIDES
MATERIALS
METALS
MICROSTRUCTURE
P-TYPE CONDUCTORS
PHOSPHIDES
PHOSPHORUS COMPOUNDS
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PNICTIDES
RECRYSTALLIZATION
SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS
SIZE
SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
STOICHIOMETRY
SURFACE COATING
TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE
ZINC