Title :
Heteroepitaxially grown InP solar cells
Author :
Weinberg, I. ; Swartz, C. ; Brinker, D. ; Wilt, D.
Author_Institution :
NASA Lewis Res. Center, Cleveland, OH, USA
Abstract :
The properties of InP solar cells, processed by OMCVD on silicon substrates with an intermediate GaAs layer (InP/GaAs/Si) and on GaAs substrates (InP/GaAs), were determined before and after irradiation with 10-MeV protons. The preirradiation transport properties were found to be influenced largely by dislocations occurring at the InP-GaAs interface. A carrier removal rate of 1.8*10/sup 3/ cm/sup -1/ was observed after irradiation to a proton fluence of 1.1*10/sup 13/ cm/sup -2/. Despite the high degree of defect generation, the radiation resistance, of the heteroepitaxial cells was considerably greater than that observed for monolithic n/sup +/p InP cells. The observed low cell efficiencies and high radiation resistance are attributed to the dominant effect of dislocations in the cell´s p-base region.<>
Keywords :
III-V semiconductors; indium compounds; proton effects; semiconductor growth; solar cells; vapour phase epitaxial growth; 10 MeV; GaAs substrates; InP solar cells; InP-GaAs interface; InP-GaAs-Si; OMCVD; Si substrate; carrier removal rate; cell efficiencies; defect generation; dislocations; heteroepitaxial cells; intermediate GaAs layer; preirradiation transport properties; proton irradiation; radiation resistance; Charge carrier density; Circuit simulation; Cyclotrons; Indium phosphide; Measurement; Performance evaluation; Photovoltaic cells; Protons; Substrates; Xenon;
Conference_Titel :
Indium Phosphide and Related Materials, 1990. Second International Conference.
Conference_Location :
Denver, CO, USA
DOI :
10.1109/ICIPRM.1990.202988
