Indium phosphide/cadmium sulfide thin-film solar cells. Semiannual report, July 1980-December 1980

Abstract

InP thin films were deposited by planar reactive deposition on recyrstallized CdS (RXCdS) and semi-insulating (100) InP substrates and evaluated as potential layers for an all-thin-film solar cell. Films prepared on RXCdS at approximately 330/sup 0/C contained a mixture of grains having both large and submicron lateral dimensions. SIMS analysis showed the interdiffusion profiles to be well behaved and, within the resolution of the analysis, no significant difference in the profiles between structures prepared at 330/sup 0/C and 380/sup 0/C. Be-doped epitaxial films, deposited on semi-insulating InP at 330/sup 0/C, showed both n- and p-type behavior. Films prepared at higher and lower temperatures with a freshly Be-charged In source were p-type and n-type, respectively; the n-type behavior is associated with an excess of n-type native defects. SIMS analyses confirmed the presence of Be in all Be-doped films. Growth with deviation from stoichiometry was initiated at 330/sup 0/C to reduce the concentration of native defects. Growth of Be-doped films at higher substrate temperature with the same Be-doped source after several runs eventually resulted in n-type films. Analyses of the In source and films were initiated to determine the cause of the transient doping. As an alternative to Be doping, p-type Zn-doped InP films were prepared on InP semi-insulating substrates with room-temperature carrier concentration and mobilities of 6 x 10/sup 16/ cm/sup -3/, and 80 cm/sup 2//Vsec, respectively.