Thin films of InP for photovoltaic energy conversion. Final report, July 5, 1979-July 4, 1980
Research to develop a low-cost high-efficiency thin-film InP heterojunction solar cell, using the metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MO-CVD) technique for InP film growth on suitable substrates is reported. Heterostructure devices of CdS/InP, using InP films prepared by CO-CVD, were prepared and characterized. The research effort involved three major technical tasks: (1) materials growth; (2) materials characterization; and (3) device fabrication and characterization. The principal results achieved in the investigations are as follows: (1) temperature-activated orientation-dependent background donor doping was observed in undoped epitaxial InP films; (2) p-type epitaxial InP films were prepared by Zn and by Cd doping during growth; (3) the efficacy of Cd doping was found to vary exponentially with the reciprocal of the deposition temperature in the range 650 to 730/sup 0/C; (4) Cd doping appeared to offer no clear advantages over Zn doping for preparation of p-type InP by the MO-CVD process; (5) GaP grown by MO-CVD was investigated as a possible intermediate-layer material for growth of InP films on low-cost substrates; (6) p/sup +/GaAs polycrystalline layers (p > /sup 19/ cm/sup -3/) were successfully prepared by Zn doping during MO-CVD growth on various low-cost substrates and used as surfaces for growth of p-type polycrystalline InP:Zn layers; (7) nCdS/pInP heterojunction solar cells were prepared by vacuum deposition of CdS onto p-type InP films grown by MO-CVD as well as on InP single-crystal wafers; (8) the best polycrystalline CdS/InP cells were obtained in structures on P/sup +/GaAs:Zn layers on both Mo sheet and Corning Code 0317 Glass; and (9) structure analyses of the Cds films used in the heterojunction cells indicated the presence of polycrystalline hexagonal CdS even in films grown on single-crystal InP films or bulk-wafer substrates. (WHK)
- Research Organization:
- Rockwell International Corp., Anaheim, CA (USA). Electronic Devices Div.
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC02-79ET23004
- OSTI ID:
- 6620441
- Report Number(s):
- COO-3004-4
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
CADMIUM SULFIDE SOLAR CELLS
FABRICATION
CADMIUM SULFIDES
VACUUM COATING
GALLIUM PHOSPHIDES
CHEMICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION
INDIUM PHOSPHIDE SOLAR CELLS
INDIUM PHOSPHIDES
CADMIUM ADDITIONS
CRYSTAL DOPING
EPITAXY
FILMS
P-TYPE CONDUCTORS
POLYCRYSTALS
SUBSTRATES
ZINC ADDITIONS
ALLOYS
CADMIUM ALLOYS
CADMIUM COMPOUNDS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL COATING
CRYSTALS
DEPOSITION
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
EQUIPMENT
GALLIUM COMPOUNDS
INDIUM COMPOUNDS
INORGANIC PHOSPHORS
MATERIALS
PHOSPHIDES
PHOSPHORS
PHOSPHORUS COMPOUNDS
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
PNICTIDES
SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS
SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SULFIDES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SURFACE COATING
ZINC ALLOYS
140501* - Solar Energy Conversion- Photovoltaic Conversion
360601 - Other Materials- Preparation & Manufacture