Recombination lifetime and performance of III-V compound photovoltaic devices

Ahrenkiel, R. K.; Keyes, B. M.; Durbin, Stephen M.; Gray, J.L.

doi:10.1109/pvsc.1993.347081

Cited by 7 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 43 publications

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“…It is clear that a high minority-carrier diffusion length L (minoritycarrier lifetime τ = L 2 /D, where D is the minority-carrier diffusion coefficient) is substantially necessary to realise high-efficiency solar cells. Figure 7.11 shows the carrier concentration dependence of minority-carrier lifetime in p-type and n-type GaAs (Ahrenkiel et al, 1993). The minority-carrier lifetime τ depends on the carrier concentration N of solar cell layers as expressed by where B is the radiative recombination coefficient.…”

Section: Selection Of Cell Materials and Improvement Of Qualitymentioning

confidence: 99%

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Super-High-Efficiency Iii–v Tandem and Multijunction Cells

Yamaguchi¹

2014

Series on Photoconversion of Solar Energy

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Section: Selection Of Cell Materials and Improvement Of Qualitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…11 Carrier concentration dependence of minority-carrier lifetime in p-type and n-type GaAs(Ahrenkiel et al, 1993).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Super-High-Efficiency Iii–v Tandem and Multijunction Cells

Yamaguchi¹

2014

Series on Photoconversion of Solar Energy

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“…The minority carrier properties of the photoactive layers determine the performance of a solar cell device, as made apparent in Part I of this Thesis. The minority carrier lifetime is the most widely varying parameter depending on the material, growth method, etc, much more than the minority carrier mobility [Ahrenkiel93]. This makes that the diffusion length is controlled basically by the minority carrier lifetime.…”

Section: Minority Carrier Properties Of Bulk Gainpmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, little information can be found in the literature about experiments in which the minority carrier properties of GaInP are studied and correlated to different doping levels or growth conditions. In [Ahrenkiel93] lifetimes ranging from 40 to 409 ns are reported for undoped GaInP with AlInP confinement layers. In [Karam99] the recombination lifetime of Zn-doped GaInP (to 9•10 16 cm -3 ) with 25% Al AlGaInP cladding layers, grown on Ge substrates, is studied.…”

Section: Minority Carrier Properties Of Bulk Gainpmentioning

confidence: 99%

Desarrollo de células solares de doble unión de GaInP/GaAs para concentraciones luminosas elevadas (Development of GaInP/GaAs dual-junction solar cells for high light concentrations).

Vara¹

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This Thesis deals with the development of the monolithic GaInP/GaAs dual-junction solar cell for high concentration applications, including its theoretical analysis and modeling, and the experimental manufacture and characterization of the needed semiconductor structures grown by metal-organic vapour phase epitaxy (MOVPE), and of the final concentrator solar cell devices. A special emphasis is put on the optimization of the solar cell concentration response, as the most important distinctive characteristic when compared to other GaInP/GaAs dual-junction solar cells developed in other laboratories.In the first part of this Thesis, a theoretical study of the concentrator GaInP/GaAs dualjunction solar cell is presented. The efficiency limit of different configurations of this solar cell, and the intrinsic model of the monolithic, series connected approach are analyzed. The extrinsic properties and distributed effects exhibited by this kind of devices are then studied by using quasi-3D models based on distributed circuit units. The optimum front grid layout for the operation of our GaInP/GaAs dual-junction solar cell under high concentrations is designed, and the effect of non-uniform light profiles is appraised.The second part begins with an introduction to the experimental research carried out in this Thesis, in which the MOVPE technology available at I.E.S. -U.P.M. is described. A review of the semiconductor material and solar cell device characterization techniques used is also presented, emphasizing on the issues specific to the dual-junction solar cell devices.The experimental development of the GaInP top cell, the tunnel junction and the complete dual-junction solar cell is then dealt with. As for the GaInP top cell, the MOVPE growth of the GaInP and Al(Ga)InP materials is first tackled. These materials are then used to build the semiconductor structure of the GaInP solar cell, paying an special attention to the front and back surface passivation. As for the tunnel junction, the material research conducted to obtain very high doping levels in GaAs and AlGaAs is firstly treated. Then the experimental work concerning the study of the main tunnel junction semiconductor structure approaches developed in this Thesis is presented. Both the performance of the tunnel junction devices fabricated and the influence of their MOVPE growth on the growth and quality of the GaInP top cell is assessed in each case. A record peak current density of 10100 A/cm 2 and a series resistance at zero bias as low as 1.6•10 -5 Ω•cm 2 are achieved with a AlGaAs/GaAs tunnel junction doped with carbon and tellurium.In the last chapter of this part, the most representative dual-junction solar cell designs developed in this Thesis are explained and analyzed by means of quantum efficiency, I-V curves and concentration response measurements. The weaknesses of each design are iv assessed experimentally and theoretically in order to determine the modifications required to improve the performance of the solar cell. An efficiency of 32.6 % at 1000 ...

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“…Para determinar tanto la presencia como los parámetros que definen estos centros de captura se utilizan técnicas como la espectroscopía de transitorios de niveles profundos (DLTS, de la terminología anglosajona Deep Level Transient Spectroscopy) o la espectroscopía de capacidades estimuladas térmicamente (TSCAP, del inglés Thermally Stimulated CAPacitance spectroscopy). Así, para un nivel energético E C,i situado en las inmediaciones centro del gap del semiconductor dado, conocidos la densidad de centros de recombinación N C,i , su sección eficaz de captura σ C,i y la velocidad de agitación térmica de los portadores v T , el tiempo de vida τ i,SRH asociado a dicho centro viene expresado por [Ahrenkiel93]:…”

Section: Recombinación Shockley-read-hall (Srh)unclassified

Modelado y fabricación de células fotovoltaicas de GaSb : Aplicación a sistemas termofotovoltaicos

Martín¹

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This Ph.D. Thesis is devoted to modelling and manufacturing photovoltaic cells based on a III-V low-bandgap semiconductor, Gallium Antimonide (GaSb), for their application into thermal radiation to electricity photovoltaic conversion systems, usually known as thermophotovoltaic systems. The Introduction deals with the fundamentals and practical applications of thermophotovoltaics, and sets the framework for the following efforts.

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Recombination lifetime and performance of III-V compound photovoltaic devices

Cited by 7 publications

References 43 publications

Super-High-Efficiency Iii–v Tandem and Multijunction Cells

Super-High-Efficiency Iii–v Tandem and Multijunction Cells

Desarrollo de células solares de doble unión de GaInP/GaAs para concentraciones luminosas elevadas (Development of GaInP/GaAs dual-junction solar cells for high light concentrations).

Modelado y fabricación de células fotovoltaicas de GaSb : Aplicación a sistemas termofotovoltaicos

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