Effects of a low-energy proton irradiation on n +/p-AlInGaP solar cells

Abstract

For the first time, by deep-level transient spectroscopy, 30 keV proton irradiation-induced defects in n + /p-AlInGaP solar cells have been observed. After the 30 keV proton irradiation, new deep-level defects such as two majority-carrier (hole) traps HP1 ( E V + 0.9 8 eV , N T = 3.8 × 1 0 1 4 cm - 3 ) and HP2, and two minority-carrier (electron) traps EP1 ( E C - 0.7 1 eV , N T = 2.0 × 1 0 1 5 cm - 3 ) and EP2 have been observed in p-AlInGaP. The introduction rate of majority-carrier trap center (HP1) is 380 cm −1, which is lower than that (1500 cm −1) in 100 keV proton-irradiated p-InGaP. From the minority-carrier injection annealing for HP1 defect and carrier concentration in 30 keV proton-irradiated p-AlInGaP, HP1 defect is likely to act as a recombination center as well as a compensator center.