Possible explanation for the photovoltaic effect in indium tin oxide on InP solar cells

Journal Article · Tue Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1978 · J. Appl. Phys.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.325437· OSTI ID:6882457

Singh, R; Shewchun, J

Recently, Sree Harsha and co-workers reported a 14.4% efficient n-indium tin oxide/p-InP solar cell. In principle, it is difficult to visualize a high-efficiency photovoltaic device with this particular structure because of large interfacial defects due to crystal structure and lattice mismatch. However, we propose an explanation for the operation of this solar cell based on the presence of a thin interfacial insulating layer between the indium tin oxide and the InP. The operation is similar to tunnel MIS solar cells where the metal is replaced by a degenerate wide-band-gap oxide (indium tin oxide) semiconductor. Our calculations show that such semiconductor-insulator-semiconductor solar cells can yield efficiencies as high as 26% (AM2) with InP as the base semiconductor.

• Research Organization: Engineering Physics Department and Institute for Materials Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, L8S 4M1, Canada
• OSTI ID: 6882457
• Journal Information: J. Appl. Phys.; (United States), Vol. 49:8
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
SOLAR CELLS
EFFICIENCY
INDIUM OXIDES
INDIUM PHOSPHIDES
INTERFACES
JUNCTION DIODES
PERFORMANCE
PHOTOVOLTAIC EFFECT
SOLAR ENERGY CONVERSION
TIN OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
CONVERSION
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
ENERGY CONVERSION
INDIUM COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHOSPHIDES
PHOSPHORUS COMPOUNDS
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
PNICTIDES
SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
SEMICONDUCTOR DIODES
TIN COMPOUNDS
140501* - Solar Energy Conversion- Photovoltaic Conversion