Unveiling the Role of H2 Plasma for Efficient InP Solar Cells

Abstract

III–V semiconductors are among the highest performing materials for solar energy conversion devices. Exposing III–V semiconductors to a hydrogen plasma can improve optoelectronic properties and is a critical step in fabricating efficient InP solar cells. However, there is a limited understanding of the changes induced by hydrogen plasma exposure to the surface and in the bulk of III–V semiconductors. Herein, it is demonstrated that a 19.3% efficient p-InP solar cell with a TiO2 electron selective contact layer can be achieved by exposing the InP substrate to hydrogen plasma. Detailed investigations employing ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy and capacitance–voltage measurement unveil that the hydrogen plasma exposure on p-InP leads to charge carrier polarity inversion in the near-surface region (charge inversion layer) while simultaneously reducing the carrier concentration (charge-depleted layer) in the bulk. The study provides important insights into the impact of hydrogen plasma exposures on InP which may lead to more efficient optoelectronic devices such as solar cells, photodetectors, light-emitting diodes, and photoelectrochemical cells.