Collection of electron-beam-generated carriers in the presence of a grain boundary or an epitaxial interface
A new technique is presented for determining the transport properties of minority carriers (the diffusion length and recombination velocity) generated when polycrystalline grains, with a grain size smaller than the diffusion length, are irradiated by an electron beam. An analogous case that can be handled using this technique is the determination of the recombination velocity at the interface between an epitaxial layer and a heavily doped substrate with a very short lifetime. For 1--2-..mu..m grains in a polycrystalline GaAs solar cell, we found that the diffusion lengths can equal bulk-diffusion lengths observed in single-crystal material, but high recombination levels prevail at the grain boundaries, the recombination velocity there may reach 2 x 10/sup 6/ cm s/sup -1/ and is inversely proportional to the grain size.
- Research Organization:
- IBM East Fishkill, General Technology Division, Hopewell Junction, New York 12533
- OSTI ID:
- 6814604
- Journal Information:
- J. Appl. Phys.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Appl. Phys.; (United States) Vol. 61:4; ISSN JAPIA
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
140501 -- Solar Energy Conversion-- Photovoltaic Conversion
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360605* -- Materials-- Radiation Effects
ARSENIC COMPOUNDS
ARSENIDES
CHARGE CARRIERS
CHARGED-PARTICLE TRANSPORT
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
CRYSTALS
DIFFUSION
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
EQUIPMENT
GALLIUM ARSENIDE SOLAR CELLS
GALLIUM ARSENIDES
GALLIUM COMPOUNDS
GRAIN SIZE
MICROSTRUCTURE
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
PHYSICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
PNICTIDES
POLYCRYSTALS
RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIATION TRANSPORT
RECOMBINATION
SIZE
SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT