Abstract
Thermophotovoltaic (TPV) devices have been fabricated using ternary and quaternary layers grown by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE) on GaSb substrates. GaInSb ternary devices were grown with buffer layers to accommodate the lattice mismatch, and GaInAsSb quaternary devices were grown with lattice-matched compositions. Improved devices are obtained when optical absorption occurs in the p-layer due to the longer minority carrier diffusion length. Thick emitter p/n devices are limited by surface recombination, with highest quantum efficiency and lowest dark current being achieved with epitaxially grown surface passivation layers on lattice-matched MOVPE quaternaries. Thin emitter/thick base, n/p devices are very promising since surface passivation is less critical than for p-emitter devices.
Highlights
Thermophotovoltaic (TPV) devices are being explored for a variety of terrestrial and space applications [l-41
This paper presents results of epitaxial devices on GaSb substrates for TPV applications requiring band gap energies near 0.55 eV, focusing on electrical parameters achieved with different epitaxial growth techniques and alternative device structures
In order to maximize both the efficiency and the power density of TPV devices, we examined device structures which minimize saturation current density, allowing devices to be operated at high forward bias without significant dark current loss, while maintaining high collection efficiency of photogenerated carriers
Summary
Thermophotovoltaic (TPV) devices are being explored for a variety of terrestrial and space applications [l-41. The systems approach has been to use silicon devices matched to selective emitters or design low-band gap compound semiconductor cells matched to blackbody emitters. This paper presents results of epitaxial devices on GaSb substrates for TPV applications requiring band gap energies near 0.55 eV, focusing on electrical parameters achieved with different epitaxial growth techniques and alternative device structures
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