InP Solar Cell Development on Inexpensive Silicon Substrates

Abstract

Task 1 - Optimize Emitter/Base Dopants - In Phase I, P/N InP control cells on InP wafers had substantially less photocurrent than N/P InP counterparts. The suspected culprit was diffusion of the zinc dopant, creating a thicker emitter than intended. Secondary Ion Mass Spectroscopy (SIMS) data taken during this report period confirmed this hypothesis. The primary findings are: P/N InP cells were grown with both 200 and 400 A thick emitters; however, the SIMS profiles showed both cells have virtually the same junction depth, or approx. 2000 A thick emitters, about 5 to 10X larger than expected. The excess Zn is diffusing in from the 3000 A thick P(++) In(0.53)Ga(0.47)As contact layer on top of the cell. P/N InP cells on InP wafers or Si wafers had virtually the same diffusion profiles, with only a barely noticeable enhancement of the Zn diffusion in higher defect density InP/Si wafer, which is good news.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Nov 01, 1994
Accession Number
ADA286254

Entities

People

  • Steven J. Wojtczuk

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Advanced Electronics
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Ballistic Missiles
  • Cells
  • Contractors
  • Contracts
  • Corporations
  • Department Of Defense
  • Diffusion
  • Mass Spectroscopy
  • Materials
  • Military Research
  • Solar Cells
  • Spectroscopy
  • Substrates
  • Technical Information Centers
  • Thickness

Fields of Study

  • Materials science

Readers

  • Semiconductor Device Technology