Title :
Advantages of InGaN Solar Cells With p-Doped and High-Al-Content Superlattice AlGaN Barriers
Author :
Kuo, Yen-Kuang ; Chang, Yi-An ; Lin, Han-Wei ; Chang, Jih-Yuan ; Yen, Shih-Hsun ; Chen, Fang-Ming ; Chen, Yu-Han
Author_Institution :
Dept. of Phys., Nat. Changhua Univ. of Educ., Changhua, Taiwan
Abstract :
In this letter, the photovoltaic characteristics of InGaN/AlGaN superlattice solar cells with In=21% and 40% in InGaN multiple quantum wells, and Al=14% and 20% in AlGaN barriers are investigated. The results obtained numerically show that an increment of 18.2% in short-circuit current density is achieved by introducing p-type doped (hole concentration = 3×1017 cm-3) Al0.2Ga0.8N barriers in In0.4Ga0.6N superlattice solar cell when compared with undoped Al0.14Ga0.86N barriers. This improvement is mainly attributed to the increased electric field in the main absorption region, which is beneficial for the holes in the valence band to move towards the p-region. The capability of carrier transport is efficiently improved, thus increasing the carrier-collection efficiency and the conversion efficiency.
Keywords :
III-V semiconductors; aluminium compounds; current density; gallium compounds; indium compounds; photovoltaic effects; semiconductor quantum wells; semiconductor superlattices; solar cells; wide band gap semiconductors; InGaN multiple quantum wells; InGaN-AlGaN; InGaN-AlGaN superlattice solar cells; absorption region; carrier transport capability; carrier-collection efficiency; conversion efficiency; electric field; high-Al-content superlattice AlGaN barrier; p-doped superlattice AlGaN barrier; p-region; p-type doped barriers; photovoltaic characteristics; short-circuit current density; valence band; Absorption; Aluminum gallium nitride; Gallium nitride; Photovoltaic cells; Photovoltaic systems; Superlattices; InGaN/AlGaN; numerical simulation; photovoltaics; superlattice solar cells;
Journal_Title :
Photonics Technology Letters, IEEE
DOI :
10.1109/LPT.2012.2228636
