Open AccessGaInSb and GaInAsSb thermophotovoltaic device fabrication and characterization
Author(s) -
C Hitchcock,
R Gutmann,
J Borrego,
H Ehsani,
I. Bhat,
M Freeman,
G.W. Charache
Publication year - 1997
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Reports
DOI - 10.2172/319652
Subject(s) - thermophotovoltaic , materials science , fabrication , epitaxy , optoelectronics , ohmic contact , quantum efficiency , metalorganic vapour phase epitaxy , nanotechnology , common emitter , layer (electronics) , medicine , alternative medicine , pathology
Thermophotovoltaic (TPV) devices have been fabricated using epitaxial ternary and quaternary layers grown on GaSb substrates. The GaInSb layers were grown by organometallic vapor phase epitaxy (OMVPE) and the InGaAsSb lattice-matched layers were grown by liquid phase epitaxy (LPE). Device fabrication steps include unannealed p-type ohmic contacts, annealed Sn/Au n-type ohmic contacts, and a thick Ag top-surface contact using a lift-off process. Devices are characterized primarily by dark I-V, photo I-V, and quantum efficiency measurements, which are correlated to microscopic and macroscopic material properties. Particular emphasis has been on material enhancements to increase quantum efficiency and decrease dark saturation current density. TPV device performance is presently limited by the base diffusion length, typically 1 to 2 microns