Analysis of Carrier Recombination Processes in 0.6 eV InGaAs Epitaxial Materials for Thermophotovoltaic Devices
Minority carrier lifetime was measured by time-resolved photoluminescence (TRPL) method in sets of p-type and n-type InGaAs double heterostructures (DH) moderately doped with Zn and Te, respectively. Contributions of the radiative and non-radiative recombination terms were separated by fitting experimental data to temperature dependences of the radiative term. The latter was modeled with measured fundamental absorption spectrum and the temperature dependence of the photon recycling effect was taken into account. Different temperature dependences of radiative terms for electron and hole materials were obtained. It was concluded that in 0.6 eV Te-doped InGaAs structures the radiative recombination controls the hole lifetime at liquid nitrogen temperatures, while Auger recombination dominates at room and above room temperatures. In similar 0.6 eV InGaAs with Zn-doped active regions Shockley-Read-Hall (SRH) recombination was found dominant in a wide temperature range from liquid nitrogen to above-room temperatures. Rapid decrease of electron lifetime with decrease of excess carrier concentration was observed and attributed to recombination through partially-ionized deep donor centers. The obtained data allows for more adequate modeling of the performance and design optimization of narrow-gap photonic devices based on InGaAs Indium-rich compounds.
- Research Organization:
- Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory (KAPL), Niskayuna, NY
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC12-00SN39357
- OSTI ID:
- 896372
- Report Number(s):
- LM-06K126
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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