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Effects of Zinc and Tellurium Doping on Minority Carrier Recombination in Lattice-Matched and Lattice-Mismatched InGaAs/InP Epitaxial Layers and Thermophotovoltaic Cells

Conference ·
OSTI ID:944000

The results of study of minority carrier lifetime in p-type and n-type InGaAs double heterostructures (DH) and thermophotovoltaic (TPV) cells with InPAs step-graded buffer layers grown on InP substrates are summarized. The active layer carrier concentration was varied in the range from 10{sup 15} to 10{sup 18} cm{sup -3}. The carrier lifetime constants were determined from photoluminescence (PL) transient and frequency responses under low-injection conditions. The rapid decrease of electron lifetime with decrease of excitation was observed in p-type InGaAs DHs and was attributed to capture of electrons on positively-charged deep-donor recombination centers. It was found that Te-doping of the InPAs buffer layers improves the low-injection electron lifetime. Temperature dependences of radiative efficiency and minority carrier lifetime were studied in sets of DHs with different doping level in order to separate the radiative and non-radiative recombination processes.

Research Organization:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO.
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
DOE Contract Number:
AC36-99GO10337
OSTI ID:
944000
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English