Analytical model for the optical functions of indium gallium nitride with application to thin film solar photovoltaic cells

Using metamaterial absorbers, we have shown that metallic layers in the absorbers do not necessarily constitute undesired resistive heating problem for photovoltaics. Tailoring the geometric skin depth of metals and employing the natural bulk absorbance characteristics of the semiconductors in those absorbers can enable the exchange of undesired resistive losses with the useful optical absorbance in the active semiconductors. Thus, Ohmic loss dominated metamaterial absorbers can be converted into photovoltaic near-perfect absorbers with the advantage of harvesting the full potential of light management offered by the metamaterial absorbers. Based on experimental permittivity data for indium gallium nitride, we have shown that between 75%–95% absorbance can be achieved in the semiconductor layers of the converted metamaterial absorbers. Besides other metamaterial and plasmonic devices, our results may also apply to photodectors and other metal or semiconductor based optical devices where resistive losses and power consumption are important pertaining to the device performance.

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“…The experimental complex electric permittivity (ε) data for In 0.54 Ga 0.46 N 31 is given in Fig. S2 (see Supplementary information ).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exchanging Ohmic Losses in Metamaterial Absorbers with Useful Optical Absorption for Photovoltaics

Vora

Gwamuri

Pala

et al. 2014

Sci Rep

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152

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“…The doping concentrations used for each layer were 5 × 10 17 cm À3 (p-InGaN), 5 × 10 18 cm À3 (n-InGaN), 6 × 10 17 cm À3 (p-Si) and 6 × 10 17 cm À3 (n-Si). The calculations for electrical and optical properties for each layer were performed using the standard characteristics equations of a tandem solar cell [13][14][15][16][17]. InGaN is chemically an n-type semiconductor because of the presence of nitrogen in the composition.…”

Section: Experimental Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

InGaN photocell significant efficiency enhancement on Si - an influence of interlayer physical properties

Ghosh

Zainal

Mohamad

et al. 2016

Int. J. Energy Res.

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Nearly similar molar ratio of in and Ga in indium gallium nitride (InGaN) /Si photocells prefers to match InGaN conduction level energy to Si valance energy band for ohmic contact between two cells. At high temperature fabrication process, InGaN-Si interface shows highly defecting prone. Considering those tussles, InGaN-based/Si-based doublejunction tandem solar cell was designed and fabricated. In₀.₄Ga₀.₆ N cell was fabricated on Si photocell by implementing AlN/SiO₂/Si₃N4 interlayers. Interlayer influence on quantum efficiency of InGaN cell was studied under ideal irradiance AM1.5 solar spectrum at 300°K. Because of insertion of interlayers between InGaN and Si; the gradual efficiency enhancement with respect to the overlayer h-GaN (a = 3.183 nm) plane lattice was found to 8.3%, 5.9% and 5.1% for AlN (a = 3.11 nm), for SiO₂ (a = 4.9 nm) and for Si₃N4 (a = 7.76 nm), respectively. AlN was found to be an excellent and SiO₂ as preferable interlayer compared with Si₃N4. Coherence (in-plane lattice matching) of nano-interlayer appears to reduce photonic electro-migration hurdle between InGaN and Si; therefore, progressive enrichment of efficiency was realized.

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“…[76] A variety of techniques has been used to grow In x Ga 1Àx N/GaN nanocolumnar structures: radio-frequency molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), [82][83][84] plasmaassisted MBE, [85] CVD, [81,86] hydride vapor phase epitaxy (HVPE), [80,87] and plasma-assisted evaporation. [30,88,89] Regardless of the deposition technique, the growth of In x Ga 1Àx N nanocolumns is most dependent on three key deposition parameters: temperature, growth rate, and the III-V ratio. Low temperatures of 823 K (~550°C), high growth rates, and heavily nitrogen-rich conditions are found to promote the formation of the non-thermodynamically stable nanocolumns.…”

Section: Advanced Microstructures For In X Ga 1àx N Pvmentioning

confidence: 99%

Progress in Indium Gallium Nitride Materials for Solar Photovoltaic Energy Conversion

McLaughlin

Pearce

2013

Metall Mater Trans A

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Analytical model for the optical functions of indium gallium nitride with application to thin film solar photovoltaic cells

Abstract: This paper presents the preliminary results of optical characterization using spectroscopic ellipsometry of wurtzite indium gallium nitride (InxGa1-xN) thin films with medium indium content (0.38 Show more

Cited by 17 publications

References 22 publications

Exchanging Ohmic Losses in Metamaterial Absorbers with Useful Optical Absorption for Photovoltaics

Exchanging Ohmic Losses in Metamaterial Absorbers with Useful Optical Absorption for Photovoltaics

InGaN photocell significant efficiency enhancement on Si - an influence of interlayer physical properties

Progress in Indium Gallium Nitride Materials for Solar Photovoltaic Energy Conversion

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