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Growth and Characterization of InAs Quantum Dot Enhanced Photovoltaic Devices

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

Seth Martin Hubbard
Affiliation:
smhsps@rit.edu, Rochester Institute of Technology, Physics, 85 Lomb Memorial Drive, Rochester, NY, 14623, United States, 5854754214, 5854754724
Ryne Raffaelle
Affiliation:
rprsps@rit.edu, Rochester Institute of Technology, Physics, 85 Lomb Memorial Drive, Rochester, NY, 14623, United States
Ross Robinson
Affiliation:
rer5221@rit.edu, Rochester Institute of Technology, Physics, 85 Lomb Memorial Drive, Rochester, NY, 14623, United States
Christopher Bailey
Affiliation:
cgbfci@rit.edu, Rochester Institute of Technology, Physics, 85 Lomb Memorial Drive, Rochester, NY, 14623, United States
David Wilt
Affiliation:
David.M.Wilt@nasa.gov, NASA Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, OH, 44135, United States
David Wolford
Affiliation:
wolford@nasa.gov, NASA Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, OH, 44135, United States
William Maurer
Affiliation:
William.F.Maurer@nasa.gov, NASA Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, OH, 44135, United States
Sheila Bailey
Affiliation:
Sheila.G.Bailey@nasa.gov, NASA Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, OH, 44135, United States
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Abstract

The growth of InAs quantum dots (QDs) by organometallic vapor phase epitaxy (OMVPE) for use in GaAs based photovoltaics devices was investigated. Growth of InAs quantum dots was optimized according to their morphology and photoluminescence using growth temperature and V/III ratio. The optimized InAs QDs had sizes near 7×40 nm with a dot density of 5(±0.5)×1010 cm-2. These optimized QDs were incorporated into GaAs based p-i-n solar cell structures. Cells with single and multiple (5x) layers of QDs were embedded in the i-region of the GaAs p-i-n cell structure. An array of 1 cm2 solar cells was fabricated on these wafers, IV curves collected under 1 sun AM0 conditions, and the spectral response measured from 300-1100 nm. The quantum efficiency for each QD cell clearly shows sub-bandgap conversion, indicating a contribution due to the QDs. Unfortunately, the overarching result of the addition of quantum dots to the baseline p-i-n GaAs cells was a decrease in efficiency. However, the addition of thin GaP strain compensating layers between the QD layers, was found to reduce this efficiency degradation and significantly enhance the subgap conversion in comparison to the un-compensated quantum dot cells.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2007

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