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The Effects of Atmosphere, Temperature, and Bandgap on the Annealing of GaInNAs for Solar Cell Applications

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

A. J. Ptak ,
Sarah Kurtz ,
M. Young  and
C. Kramer
A. J. Ptak
Affiliation:
National Center for Photovoltaics, National Renewable Energy Laboratory Golden, CO 80401, U.S.A.
Sarah Kurtz
Affiliation:
National Center for Photovoltaics, National Renewable Energy Laboratory Golden, CO 80401, U.S.A.
M. Young
Affiliation:
National Center for Photovoltaics, National Renewable Energy Laboratory Golden, CO 80401, U.S.A.
C. Kramer
Affiliation:
National Center for Photovoltaics, National Renewable Energy Laboratory Golden, CO 80401, U.S.A.
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Abstract

The effects of thermal annealing on the minority-carrier diffusion lengths and depletion widths of GaInNAs are studied. We find that diffusion lengths in as-grown, Be- and Si-doped GaInNAs are limited to less than about 0.2 μm for samples with low concentrations of nitrogen. For higher concentrations of nitrogen, the diffusion lengths are not measurable. Annealing under a variety of temperatures and atmospheres typically makes the diffusion lengths even shorter. These short diffusion lengths are not yet long enough for GaInNAs to be useful in a next-generation, four-junction structure. Using undoped GaInNAs in a p–i–n structure is a promising approach to increase device performance. Currently, however, the depletion widths are too small at the bandgaps necessary for solar cells, and annealing does not appear to improve them.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 799: Symposium Z – Progress in Compound Semiconductor Materials III - Electronic and Optoelectronic Applications , 2003 , Z1.3
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2004

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References

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