Interface quality enhancement of the epitaxial regrowth process for [i]nipi[/i] photovoltaic devices

Michael A. Slocum; David V. Forbes; Seth M. Hubbard

doi:10.1117/12.911252

21 February 2012 Interface quality enhancement of the epitaxial regrowth process for [i]nipi[/i] photovoltaic devices

Michael A. Slocum, David V. Forbes, Seth M. Hubbard

Proceedings Volume 8256, Physics, Simulation, and Photonic Engineering of Photovoltaic Devices; 82561B (2012) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.911252
Event: SPIE OPTO, 2012, San Francisco, California, United States

Abstract

The nipi photovoltaic device is a doping superlattice-based device, that uses iterative n-type / intrinsic / p-type / intrinsically doped GaAs layers to minimize the effect of minority carrier diffusion length. Following photon absorption, carriers are quickly swept vertically by drift into majority doped layers. Carriers are collected in the lateral contacts via diffusion through the doped superlattice layers. Epitaxial regrowth is used to form selective lateral contacts in v-grooves that are etched into the superlattice layers. Testing was completed to improve the epitaxial regrowth process used, where an improvement in the morphology of the regrown material was demonstrated by adjusting the growth parameters. Devices have been fabricated, and the effects of varying the cell size and grid finger spacing have been studied. The competing effects of series resistance which increases as the grid finger spacing increases and shunt resistance which decreases as the finger spacing decrease have to be balance to optimize the efficiency for the design. Although an additional shunt path was created between the contacts, a one sun efficiency of 3.42% was achieved. The development of a fabrication process makes way for the use of the nipi device to be used in conjunction with quantum dots to increase subband absorption and potentially realize an intermediate band solar cell.

Citation Download Citation

Michael A. Slocum, David V. Forbes, and Seth M. Hubbard "Interface quality enhancement of the epitaxial regrowth process for [i]nipi[/i] photovoltaic devices", Proc. SPIE 8256, Physics, Simulation, and Photonic Engineering of Photovoltaic Devices, 82561B (21 February 2012); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.911252

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