Quantum yield spectra and I-V properties of a GaAs solar cell grown on a Ge substrate

A measured quantum yield spectrum showed a weak Ge junction in tandem with a strong GaAs junction for a heteroface p/n GaAs junction grown by MOCVD (metal-organic chemical vapor deposition) on an n-Ge substrate. In natural sunlight, this device had a notched-shaped IV that limited its fill factor (FF) to 0.612 and its efficiency to 18% AM2.6D, which are values below those typical of similar heteroface p/n GaAs junctions grown on n-GaAs substrates. The notch disappeared and the FF increased to 0.806 under infrared-rich incandescent light. The notch deepened and the FF decreased to 0.606 under infrared-poor xenon light. This is modeled as a Ge junction with a soft I-V in tandem with a standard GaAs p/n junction. Calculations of the relative infrared content of sunlight predicts that this cell´s FF should progressively decrease as the air mass spectrum progressively loses infrared content in going from AM2.6 through AM1.5 to AM0. The best model found for the Ge junction transport properties is an n-GaAs/n-Ge isotype heterojunction possibly controlled by space-charge-limited-current mechanisms.