Sinterless contacts to shallow junction InP solar cells

The authors describe two contact systems that provide low contact resistance to InP solar cells that do not require subjecting the current-carrying metallization to a postdeposition sintering process. It is shown that these two systems, one nickel-based and the other silver-based, provide contact resistivity (R/sub c/) values in the low 10/sup -6/- Omega -cm/sup 2/ range, as fabricated, without the need for sintering. It is demonstrated that it is possible to achieve specific contact resistivities in the low 10/sup -6/- Omega -cm/sup 2/ range without compromising emitter integrity through the introduction of any of a number of metal-phosphide interlayers, including Ni/sub 3/P, AgP/sub 2/, and Au/sub 2/P/sub 3/.<>