Comparison of GaInNAs and GaInNAsSb solar cells grown by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy

Abstract

We compare dilute nitride GaInNAs and GaInNAsSb solar cells grown by molecular beam epitaxy. Single junction p-i-n diode solar cells were fabricated to test the dilute nitride and antimonide material fabrication process. Triple-junction solar cells were fabricated to test the behavior of single GaInNAs(Sb) junctions in multi-junction configuration. When nitrogen was added to the growth of GaInNAs, good crystal quality was maintained up to 4% of nitrogen at the used growth conditions. Short circuit current densities of the devices could be increased by adding Sb to the growth but at the same time the open circuit voltages decreased due to bandgap shrinkage induced by Sb. In multijunction configuration, the samples with Sb showed inferior properties to ones without it. Lower currents and voltages of Sb-containing cells may be linked to segregation of Sb and transfer to the upper junctions. © 2012 American Institute of Physics.