Investigation of ZnO/InP heterostructure solar cells

Thesis/Dissertation · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1984

OSTI ID:6185379

Eberspacher, C

Zinc oxide/indium phosphide semiconductor/interfacial layer/semiconductor heterostructure solar cells fabricated by chemical spraying were investigated. Diagnostic studies of indium phosphide oxidation, gold/indium phosphide devices and zinc oxide thin films were undertaken. Zinc oxide/indium phosphide heterostructures fabricated by chemical spraying are stable semiconductor/interfacial layer/semiconductor structures of n-zinc oxide, an interfacial thermal oxide and single-crystal p-indium phosphide. Forward leakage currents are dominated by tunneling and interfacial recombination processes, and are analyzed with a thermionic-field emission model. High-temperature processing increases the forward leakage currents and yields an apparent increase in the density of near-interface localized states. Interfacial oxides suppress the formation of near-interface states, and are essential in obtaining optimal photovoltaic performance. Heterostructures fabricated with very thin oxides exhibit severe forward leakage and photoenhanced reverse leakage after post-deposition annealing in hydrogen. Thick interfacial oxides cause current-voltage photosuppression and hysteresis effects. Optimized zinc oxide/indium phosphide heterostructures have short-circuit current densities greater than 23 mA/cm/sup 2/, open-circuit voltages of 0.68-0.72 V, fill factors above 0.7 and active area efficiencies of 13-14% in natural sunlight.

• OSTI ID: 6185379
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140501* -- Solar Energy Conversion-- Photovoltaic Conversion
CHALCOGENIDES
DEPOSITION
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
EQUIPMENT
INDIUM PHOSPHIDE SOLAR CELLS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SPRAY COATING
SURFACE COATING
ZINC COMPOUNDS
ZINC OXIDES