Improved semiconductors for photovoltaic cells. Quarterly report No. 6, October 1-December 31, 1977

Technical Report · Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1977

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6736229· OSTI ID:6736229

The purpose of work on this contract is to study the suitability of Zn/sub 3/P/sub 2/ as a photovoltaic material for large scale terrestrial use. Zn/sub 3/P/sub 2/ was selected after a systematic literature search revealed it as one of the most promising unexplored semiconductors suitable for use as the absorber-generator portion of a photovoltaic cell. During this quarter the main emphasis has been on the fabrication and testing of transparent beryllium metal film Schottky barrier devices. Good AM1 sort circuit currents have been obtained although optical losses within the structure are high. Correcting for optical losses, yields an estimated peak current collection efficiency of 74%. The open circuit voltage of these devices is lower than expected, primarily due to a low junction barrier height. Lower than expected barrier heights for other metals indicate the Fermi level is pinned at the surface in contrast to results reported earlier. Those results had suggested barrier height scales with meal work function. Crystal growth is sufficiently developed to provide suitable material for devices, but further refinements are necessary to improve grain size. A volatile oxide has been identified as a nuclei forming agent. A close-spaced vapor transport apparatus has been designed and constructed, as an alternative technique for thin film preparation.

• Research Organization: Delaware Univ., Newark (USA). Inst. of Energy Conversion
• DOE Contract Number: AC01-76ET20221
• OSTI ID: 6736229
• Report Number(s): COO-2460-6
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
ZINC PHOSPHIDE SOLAR CELLS
FABRICATION
ZINC PHOSPHIDES
CRYSTAL GROWTH
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
BERYLLIUM
DEPOSITION
EFFICIENCY
FILMS
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
SCHOTTKY BARRIER DIODES
SPECTRAL RESPONSE
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
ELEMENTS
EQUIPMENT
METALS
PHOSPHIDES
PHOSPHORUS COMPOUNDS
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PNICTIDES
SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
SEMICONDUCTOR DIODES
SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
ZINC COMPOUNDS
140501* - Solar Energy Conversion- Photovoltaic Conversion
360601 - Other Materials- Preparation & Manufacture