Abstract
GaxIn1−xAs and GayIn1−yP layers were grown lattice mismatched to GaAs and Ge by low-pressure metal organic vapor phase epitaxy (LP-MOPVE). These materials are very promising for further increasing the efficiency of monolithic triple-junction solar cells. Different buffer layer structures were realized. Transmission electron microscopy and x-ray diffraction analysis were used to characterize the quality of the crystal. Both linear and step-graded buffers in GaxIn1−xAs were successfully used under an active solar cell structure. GayIn1−yP as buffer material showed a worse performance. Excellent solar cell performance was achieved for lattice mismatched single-, dual- and triple-junction solar cells.
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Acknowledgments
The authors wish to thank Prof. T.Y. Seong for performing Transmission Electron Microscopy on lattice-mismatched solar cell structures (figure 3–5). Furthermore we acknowledge extremely valuable discussion with Dr. E. Spiecker and Prof. Jäger, University of Kiel about TEM analysis. For the continuous excellent work we would like to thank the members of the group “III–V solar cells and epitaxy” from Fraunhofer ISE. The work was partly financed by the European Commission within the project FULLSPECTRUM Contract number (SES6-CT-2003-502620) and by the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) under contract no. 03285554 F. The authors are responsible for the content of this paper.
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Bett, A.W., Baur, C., Dimroth, F. et al. Metamorphic GaInP-GaInAs Layers for Photovoltaic Applications. MRS Online Proceedings Library 836, L6.4 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1557/PROC-836-L6.4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1557/PROC-836-L6.4