Substrate free GaAs photovoltaic cells on Pd-coated silicon with a 20% AM1.5 efficiency

Thin-film epitaxial 2×2.5 mm² GaAs crack free solar cells grown with metal organic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE) have been successfully lifted-off from their original GaAs substrate using the epitaxial lift-off (ELO) technique and Van der Waals bonded on Pd-coated silicon substrates without degrading the electrical, optical and structural properties of the devices. A 20% AM1.5 energy conversion efficiency was measured for an anti-reflection coated device, with a fill factor of 0.79, a short-circuit current density of 21.84 mA/cm² with respect to the total area and a V_oc value of 957 mV at 25°C. Electron beam induced current (EBIC) and cathodoluminescence (CL) measurements at room temperature were performed on the devices to study their structural properties. The EBIC signal image evidenced a very good homogeneous material with an EBIC contrast (C=(I_max-I)/I_max) below 1%. The variation of the penetration depth of the electron beam for a detection of the different layers of the cell gave nearly the same EBIC contrast. Only a low density of point like defects, that we assume to be structural defects, was evidenced. The CL image signal in comparison to the EBIC image didn´t give any additional results for the existence of strong nonradiative recombination centers. Cross-sectional transmission electron measurements (TEM) of the GaAs-Pd interface showed a very intimate and homogeneous bonding between the grafted layer and its host substrate