Performance Comparison of Top and Bottom Contact Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) Solar Cell

Abstract

We fabricated single-junction solar cell on epitaxially grown n-type gallium arsenide (GaAs) substrate. We used a germanium (Ge)/gold (Au)/nickel (Ni)/Au metal contact from the top side on a highly doped n-type epitaxial layer as well as the bottom side on a n-type GaAs substrate. We observed 10 15% increase in solar cell power when the top contact is used for the n-type GaAs epi layer compared to the bottom side n- type GaAs substrate. Solar cell fill factor, sheet, and shunt resistances are same for both the top and bottom contact type devices. We conclude that to achieve higher power, it is advantageous to use an n-type contact from a highly doped top n epitaxial layer rather than a bottom n-type GaAs substrate.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Sep 01, 2014
Accession Number
ADA608815

Entities

People

  • Naresh C. Das

Organizations

  • United States Army Research Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Cell Structure
  • Cells
  • Ceramic Materials
  • Chemical Compounds
  • Circuits
  • Elements
  • Gallium
  • Gallium Arsenides
  • Materials
  • Metal Films
  • Metals
  • Military Research
  • Power
  • Resistance
  • Short Circuits
  • Solar Cells
  • Solar Energy

Fields of Study

  • Materials science

Readers

  • Semiconductor Device Technology
  • Solar Photovoltaics and Thermoelectric Devices.

Technology Areas

  • Microelectronics