Title :
The radiation response of heteroepitaxial p+n InP/Si solar cells
Author :
Walters, R.J. ; Messenger, S.R. ; Panunto, M. ; Summers, G.P. ; Wojtczuk, S.J. ; Gouker, P.
Author_Institution :
Naval Res. Lab., Washington, DC, USA
Abstract :
The 1 MeV electron irradiation-induced degradation of both heteroepitaxial and homoepitaxial p/n InP solar cells grown by MOCVD is presented. The heteroepitaxial cells were grown on Si substrates (InP/Si). The cells were characterized through current-voltage (IV) and deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) measurements. After irradiation, essentially the same electron trap spectrum was measured in the two cell types. Several new hole traps were detected, and significant differences between the homo- and hetero-epitaxial cells were observed. The PV response of both cells types was measured as a function of fluence. The homoepitaxial (InP/InP) data was fit to the standard degradation curve, and the results are used to predict the radiation response of the InP/Si cells. The response of a 16% beginning of life (BOL) InP/Si cell is also predicted and shown to out perform GaAs/Ge cells for fluences above 5×1014 cm-2
Keywords :
III-V semiconductors; deep level transient spectroscopy; electric current measurement; electron beam effects; hole traps; indium compounds; p-n heterojunctions; solar cells; spectroscopy; voltage measurement; 1 MeV; 16 percent; DLTS measurement; InP-Si; MOCVD; PV response; Si; Si substrates; beginning of life InP/Si cell; current-voltage measurement; deep level transient spectroscopy; electron irradiation-induced degradation; electron trap spectrum; heteroepitaxial p+n InP/Si solar cells; hole traps; homoepitaxial p/n InP solar cells; radiation response; standard degradation curve; Annealing; Degradation; Electron traps; Gallium arsenide; Indium phosphide; MOCVD; Photovoltaic cells; Space technology; Substrates; Temperature;
Conference_Titel :
Photovoltaic Energy Conversion, 1994., Conference Record of the Twenty Fourth. IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference - 1994, 1994 IEEE First World Conference on
Conference_Location :
Waikoloa, HI
Print_ISBN :
0-7803-1460-3
DOI :
10.1109/WCPEC.1994.521646
