Inverted metamorphic GaInAs solar cell grown by dynamic hydride vapor phase epitaxy

Schulte, Kevin L.; Diercks, David R.; Guthrey, Harvey L.; Young, Matthew R.; Packard, Corinne E.; Simon, John; Ptak, Aaron J.

doi:10.1063/5.0061350

Title: Inverted metamorphic GaInAs solar cell grown by dynamic hydride vapor phase epitaxy

Abstract

We present an inverted metamorphic rear heterojunction ~1.0 eV GaInAs solar cell deposited by dynamic hydride vapor phase epitaxy (D-HVPE) with high growth rate. This device uses a Ga_1-xIn_xP compositionally graded buffer (CGB) to bridge the lattice constant gap between the GaAs substrate and the Ga0.71In0.29As emitter layer. High-resolution x-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy confirm that the Ga_0.71In_0.29As emitter is grown lattice-matched to the in-plane lattice constant of the CGB with minimal generation of defects at the GaInAs/GaInP interface. The device contains a threading dislocation density of 2.3 × 10⁶ cm^-2, a level that enables high-performance minority carrier devices and is comparable to previously demonstrated GaInP CGBs grown by D-HVPE. The device exhibits an open-circuit voltage of 0.589 V under a one-sun AM1.5G illumination condition and a bandgap-voltage offset of 0.407 V, indicating metamorphic epitaxial performance nearly equal to state-of-the-art devices. We analyze the dark current of the device and determine that reducing recombination in the depletion region, which can be achieved by reducing the threading dislocation density and optimizing the device doping density, will improve the device performance. Furthermore, the CGB and device layers, comprising ~8 µm of thickness, are grown in under 10 min, highlighting the abilitymore »« less

Authors:

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National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO (United States)
National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO (United States)

Publication Date:: 2021-08-31

Research Org.:: National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:: USDOE Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy (ARPA-E)

OSTI Identifier:: 1821416

Report Number(s):: NREL/JA-5900-80369
Journal ID: ISSN 0003-6951; MainId:42572;UUID:4db1b9cb-586d-47c7-8e31-076cf5ab7ec0;MainAdminID:62904; TRN: US2214586

Grant/Contract Number:: AC36-08GO28308

Resource Type:: Accepted Manuscript

Journal Name:: Applied Physics Letters

Additional Journal Information:: Journal Volume: 119; Journal Issue: 9; Journal ID: ISSN 0003-6951

Publisher:: American Institute of Physics (AIP)

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: 14 SOLAR ENERGY; D-HVPE; dynamic hydride vapor phase epitaxy; GaInAs; high-performance PV; inverted metamorphic rear heterojunction; photovoltaic; transmission electron microscopy; high resolution x-ray diffraction; epitaxy; semiconductor devices; solar cells; semiconductor heterostructures

Citation Formats


                    Schulte, Kevin L., Diercks, David R., Guthrey, Harvey L., Young, Matthew R., Packard, Corinne E., Simon, John, and Ptak, Aaron J.. Inverted metamorphic GaInAs solar cell grown by dynamic hydride vapor phase epitaxy.  United States: N. p., 2021. 
Web.  doi:10.1063/5.0061350.

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                    Schulte, Kevin L., Diercks, David R., Guthrey, Harvey L., Young, Matthew R., Packard, Corinne E., Simon, John, & Ptak, Aaron J.. Inverted metamorphic GaInAs solar cell grown by dynamic hydride vapor phase epitaxy.  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0061350

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                    Schulte, Kevin L., Diercks, David R., Guthrey, Harvey L., Young, Matthew R., Packard, Corinne E., Simon, John, and Ptak, Aaron J.. Tue .  
"Inverted metamorphic GaInAs solar cell grown by dynamic hydride vapor phase epitaxy".  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0061350.  https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1821416.

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@article{osti_1821416,

  title        = {Inverted metamorphic GaInAs solar cell grown by dynamic hydride vapor phase epitaxy},

  author       = {Schulte, Kevin L. and Diercks, David R. and Guthrey, Harvey L. and Young, Matthew R. and Packard, Corinne E. and Simon, John and Ptak, Aaron J.},

  abstractNote = {We present an inverted metamorphic rear heterojunction ~1.0 eV GaInAs solar cell deposited by dynamic hydride vapor phase epitaxy (D-HVPE) with high growth rate. This device uses a Ga1-xInxP compositionally graded buffer (CGB) to bridge the lattice constant gap between the GaAs substrate and the Ga0.71In0.29As emitter layer. High-resolution x-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy confirm that the Ga0.71In0.29As emitter is grown lattice-matched to the in-plane lattice constant of the CGB with minimal generation of defects at the GaInAs/GaInP interface. The device contains a threading dislocation density of 2.3 × 106 cm-2, a level that enables high-performance minority carrier devices and is comparable to previously demonstrated GaInP CGBs grown by D-HVPE. The device exhibits an open-circuit voltage of 0.589 V under a one-sun AM1.5G illumination condition and a bandgap-voltage offset of 0.407 V, indicating metamorphic epitaxial performance nearly equal to state-of-the-art devices. We analyze the dark current of the device and determine that reducing recombination in the depletion region, which can be achieved by reducing the threading dislocation density and optimizing the device doping density, will improve the device performance. Furthermore, the CGB and device layers, comprising ~8 µm of thickness, are grown in under 10 min, highlighting the ability of D-HVPE to produce high-quality metamorphic devices of all types with the potential for dramatically higher throughput compared to present technology.},

  doi          = {10.1063/5.0061350},

  journal      = {Applied Physics Letters},

  number       = 9,

  volume       = 119,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {2021},

  month        = {8}

}

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Title: Inverted metamorphic GaInAs solar cell grown by dynamic hydride vapor phase epitaxy

Abstract

Citation Formats

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