Thin-film GaAs solar cells with grain-boundary edge passivation

Journal Article · Tue May 15 04:00:00 EDT 1979 · Appl. Phys. Lett.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.90610· OSTI ID:6303407

Ghandhi, S K; Borrego, J M; Reep, D; Hsu, Y; Pande, K P

Solar cells built on polycrystalline gallium arsenide usually have very leaky reverse characteristics and low open circuit voltage. Both these problems arise from the effect of the Schottky diode made on the grain boundary, which shunts the active Schottky solar cell and deteriorates its performance characteristics. Selective anodization techniques have been used to provide an insuating barrier over the grain boundary in order to passivate it. Leakage current reduction of five to six decades has been achieved by this method. In this letter we describe the electrical and photovoltaic characteristics of devices made by this technique. We report, for the first time, a simulated AM1 conversion efficiency of 5.45% on thin-film (8.6 ..mu..m) polycrystalline GaAs cells with no antireflection coating, fabricated on molybdenum substrates by the simultaneous pyrolysis of trimethylgallium and arsine in hydrogen.

• Research Organization: Electrical and Systems Engineering Department, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York 12181
• OSTI ID: 6303407
• Journal Information: Appl. Phys. Lett.; (United States), Journal Name: Appl. Phys. Lett.; (United States) Vol. 34:10; ISSN APPLA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140501* -- Solar Energy Conversion-- Photovoltaic Conversion
ANODIZATION
ANTIREFLECTION COATINGS
ARSENIC COMPOUNDS
ARSENIDES
CHEMICAL COATING
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COATINGS
CORROSION PROTECTION
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
CURRENTS
DATA
DECOMPOSITION
DEPOSITION
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
EFFICIENCY
ELECTRIC CURRENTS
ELECTRIC POTENTIAL
ELECTROCHEMICAL COATING
ELECTROLYSIS
ELEMENTS
FABRICATION
FILMS
GALLIUM ARSENIDES
GALLIUM COMPOUNDS
GRAIN BOUNDARIES
INFORMATION
LEAKAGE CURRENT
LYSIS
METALS
MICROSTRUCTURE
MOLYBDENUM
PASSIVATION
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
PNICTIDES
PYROLYSIS
REFRACTORY METALS
SCHOTTKY BARRIER DIODES
SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
SEMICONDUCTOR DIODES
SOLAR CELLS
SUBSTRATES
SURFACE COATING
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
TRANSITION ELEMENTS