GaAs-AlGaAs tunnel junctions for multigap cascade solar cells

Journal Article · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1982 · J. Appl. Phys.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.329940· OSTI ID:5822185

Miller, D L; Zehr, S W; Harris, Jr, J S

The growth and characterization of tunneling GaAs homojunctions and GaAs-AlGaAs heterojunctions by molecular beam epitaxy for use as optically transparent interconnects in GaAs and AlGaAs solar cells is described. GaAs tunneling interconnects have been achieved with conductances of 300 A/cm/sup 2/-V at 0.050 V, and p-Al/sub x/Ga/sub 1-x/ As/n-GaAs heterojunction structures with x up to 0.4 have been grown which have characteristics comparable to GaAs interconnects. Thin interconnects, 1000 A total thickness, have also been fabricated with conductances comparable to thicker junctions. The effect of dopant diffusion was found to be minimal at the 580 /sup 0/C junction growth temperature, but annealing these tunnel junctions at 650 /sup 0/C for several minutes caused diffusion of about 100 A distance.

• Research Organization: Rockwell International, Microelectronics Research and Development Center, Thousand Oaks, California 91360
• OSTI ID: 5822185
• Journal Information: J. Appl. Phys.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Appl. Phys.; (United States) Vol. 53:1; ISSN JAPIA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140501* -- Solar Energy Conversion-- Photovoltaic Conversion
ALUMINIUM ARSENIDE SOLAR CELLS
ANNEALING
BEAMS
CASCADE SOLAR CELLS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
CRYSTAL GROWTH
DATA
DIFFUSION
DIMENSIONS
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ENERGY GAP
EPITAXY
EQUIPMENT
GALLIUM ARSENIDE SOLAR CELLS
HEAT TREATMENTS
HIGH TEMPERATURE
INFORMATION
JUNCTIONS
MOLECULAR BEAMS
OPACITY
OPTICAL EQUIPMENT
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
SEMICONDUCTOR DIODES
SEMICONDUCTOR JUNCTIONS
SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
THICKNESS
TUNNEL DIODES