Radiation hardness of AlGaAs n-i-p solar cells with higher bandgap intrinsic region

Walker, Alexandre W.; Heckelmann, S.; Tibbits, T.N.D.; David, Laurent; Bett, Andreas W.; Dimroth, Frank

doi:10.1016/j.solmat.2017.04.034

Cited by 9 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…20,21 However, the thickness of the InGaAs layer has a critical influence on the amount of photon recycling which directly impacts the radiative recombination coefficient. 9,22,23 It is thus reasonable to have a variety of reported radiative recombination coefficients as this depends primarily on thickness, which is a parameter that is unfortunately not reported in the experimental study of Ahrenkiel et al 21…”

Section: Radiative Recombination Coefficientmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…All of these introduce some level of complexity as well as uncertainties in the ensuing analysis. Another method involves modeling the responsivity of a device as a function of wavelength compared to experiment, 9 but this requires accurate datasets of the optical properties, and only provides a lower bound on the diffusion length if the diffusion length is sufficiently long compared to the active region thickness. These aforementioned methods each have their own advantages, but more importantly their own inherent limitations and complexities; as a result, limited reports exist of minority carrier diffusion lengths in the literature for III-V semiconductors, as well as their dependencies, such as doping.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Minority carrier diffusion lengths and mobilities in low-doped n-InGaAs for focal plane array applications

Walker

Denhoff

2017

SPIE Proceedings

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The hole diffusion length in n-InGaAs is extracted for two samples of different doping concentrations using a set of long and thin diffused junction diodes separated by various distances on the order of the diffusion length. The methodology is described, including the ensuing analysis which yields diffusion lengths between 70 -85 µm at room temperature for doping concentrations in the range of 5 − 9 × 10 15 cm −3 . The analysis also provides insight into the minority carrier mobility which is a parameter not commonly reported in the literature. Hole mobilities on the order of 500 − 750 cm 2 /V·s are reported for the aforementioned doping range, which are comparable albeit longer than the majority hole mobility for the same doping magnitude in p-InGaAs. A radiative recombination coefficient of (0.5±0.2)×10 −10 cm −3 s −1 is also extracted from the ensuing analysis for an InGaAs thickness of 2.7 µm. Preliminary evidence is also given for both heavy and light hole diffusion. The dark current of InP/InGaAs p-i-n photodetectors with 25 and 15 µm pitches are then calibrated to device simulations and correlated to the extracted diffusion lengths and doping concentrations. An effective Shockley-Read-Hall lifetime of between 90-200 µs provides the best fit to the dark current of these structures.

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Section: Radiative Recombination Coefficientmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Minority carrier diffusion lengths and mobilities in low-doped n-InGaAs for focal plane array applications

Walker

Denhoff

2017

SPIE Proceedings

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“…This is the first time Al 0.2 Ga 0.8 As has been demonstrated for this application. Previous reports have shown Al x Ga 1-x As to be potentially radiation hard [16][17] [18]. Consequently, electron spectrometers with Al 0.2 Ga 0.8 As detectors (either as single pixels or pixel arrays) may find use in future space missions to intense radiation environments.…”

Section: Discussion Of Space Science Applicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Si is also susceptible to radiation damage, causing degradation in spectrometer energy resolution over time within intense radiation environments (such environments are commonly encountered by space science instrumentation [14] [15]). Al x Ga 1-x As solar cells are expected to have better radiation hardness [16] [17] [18], which may also apply to Al x Ga 1-x As radiation detectors, prolonging spectrometer lifetimes compared with those that use Si detectors. These features are of particular interest for space science missions to study the Jovian [19] [20] and Saturnian [21] plasma environments, where background radiation doses can be particularly intense (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

AlGaAs two by two pixel detector for electron spectroscopy in space environments

Whitaker

Zhao

Lioliou

et al. 2020

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A:

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A prototype monolithic 2 × 2 square pixel Al 0.2 Ga 0.8 As p + -i-n + mesa photodiode array (each photodiode of area 200 µm by 200 µm, with a 3 µm i layer) has been investigated for its utility as a detector for direct detection electron (βparticle) spectroscopy. Each photodiode was electrically characterised and its response to illumination from a 63 Ni radioisotope βparticle source was investigated at 20 °C. The percentage of electron energy absorbed in the active layer (i layer), E abs , of the photodiode and the spectrum expected to be detected, were calculated via Monte Carlo simulations. Comparisons between the simulated and detected 63 Ni βparticle spectra are presented and demonstrate uniformity in response across the two by two pixel array. The percentage of electron energy absorbed in the active layer of the detector was at a maximum of 0.53 ± 0.04 for electrons with an energy of 38 keV; the percentage of electron energy absorbed in the active layer of the detector reduced to 0.29 ± 0.02 at 66 keV.To increase the percentage of electron energy absorbed in the active layer of the detector at high energies, inactive Al absorption layers placed atop the detecting structure were investigated as part of the modelling work.These additional Al layers partially attenuated the βparticles' energy, thus reducing the incident particles' energy to values more readily detected by the relatively thin photodiode. Al layers of 20 µm, 100 µm, and 500 µm thickness were investigated and found, by modelling, to increase the percentage of electron energy absorbed

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“…These parameters can be critical in designing minority carrier devices, for example in cases where minority carrier mobilities exceed that of majority carrier mobilities 6 or in solar cells where minority carrier diffusion lengths are on the order of the active region thickness. 10 Each of the aforementioned methodologies have their inherent advantanges and disadvantages. For example, the zerofield time-of-flight method is simple in principle, but becomes obfuscated when fitting the transient photovoltage for a heterojunction such as an InP/InGaAs photodetector.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Heavy and light hole minority carrier transport properties in low-doped n-InGaAs lattice matched to InP

Walker

Denhoff

2017

Applied Physics Letters

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Minority carrier diffusion lengths in low-doped n-InGaAs using InP/InGaAs double-heterostructures are reported using a simple electrical technique. The contributions from heavy and light holes are also extracted using this methodology, including minority carrier mobilities and lifetimes. Heavy holes are shown to initially dominate the transport due to their higher valence band density of states, but at large diffusion distances, the light holes begin to dominate due to their larger diffusion length. It is found that heavy holes have a diffusion length of 54.5 ± 0.6 µm for an n-InGaAs doping of 8.4 × 10 15 cm −3 at room temperature, whereas light holes have a diffusion length in excess of 140 µm. Heavy holes demonstrate a mobility of 692 ± 63 cm 2 /Vs and a lifetime of 1.7 ± 0.2 µs, whereas light holes demonstrate a mobility of 6200 ± 960 cm −2 /Vs and a slightly longer lifetime of 2.6 ± 1.0 µs. The presented method, which is limited to low injection conditions, is capable of accurately resolving minority carrier transport properties.

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Radiation hardness of AlGaAs n-i-p solar cells with higher bandgap intrinsic region

Cited by 9 publications

References 29 publications

Minority carrier diffusion lengths and mobilities in low-doped n-InGaAs for focal plane array applications

Minority carrier diffusion lengths and mobilities in low-doped n-InGaAs for focal plane array applications

AlGaAs two by two pixel detector for electron spectroscopy in space environments

Heavy and light hole minority carrier transport properties in low-doped n-InGaAs lattice matched to InP

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