Theoretical Studies of InGaN/GaN Multiple Junction Solar Cell with Enhanced Tunneling Junction Diode

Abstract:

Recent developments in the growth of InGaN layers made it possible to grow a heavily doped p-type layer with Indium concentration up to 40%. In this work, a tunnel junction based on these developments has been designed with the use of Silvaco TCAD. This diode introduces a low resistive path to the current carriers, effectively adds voltages and encounters the parasitic effects of the stacked sub-cells. A double-junction solar cell is designed based on our interfacing tunnel diode and simulated results are presented in this paper. Remarkable results are achieved comparing to the existing InGaN based multijunction solar cells. A high V_oc of ~3.1V and conversion efficiency greater than 17.5% has been achieved under AM 1.5. This paper also highlights and discusses the challenges in fabrication of such a highly efficient solar cell.

• Periodical: Advanced Materials Research (Volume 895)
• Pages: 535-538
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.895.535
• Online since: February 2014
• Authors: Shahzad Hussain, Ghulam Ali, Haris Mehmood, Muhammad Omar, Tahir Zaidi
• Keywords: High Efficiency, InGaN, Multijunction, Solar Cell, Tunnel Diode

References

[1] Omkar jani and Ian Ferguson 2007 Applied Physics Letters 91, 132117.

[2] Omkar Jani, Balakrishnam Jampana, Mohit Mehta, Hongbo Yu, Ian Ferguson, Robert Opila, Chrishtiana Honsberg 2008 33rd IEEE Conf. on   Photovoltaic Specialist pp.1-4.

DOI: 10.1109/pvsc.2008.4922725

[3] M E Levinshtein, Sergey L Rumyantsev, Michael Shur 2001Properties of advanced semiconductor materials: GaN, AlN, InN, BN, SiC, SiGe New York Wiley p.2.

[4] Ashiskumar Patel, Mark Hoffbauer, ToddWillamson, Alicia Salazar and Frank Archuleta Characterization of InGaN based Photovoltaic Devices.

[5] Akio Yamamoto, Md.R. Islam, Ting-Ting Kang, and Akihiro Hashimoto 2010 Phys. status Solidi C7 pp.1309-1316.

[6] L. Hsu and W. Walukiewicz 2008 Journal Of Applied Physics 104, 024507.

[7] Lother A. Reichertz, Iulian Gherasoiu, Kin Man Yu, Joel W. Ager III, Vincent M. Kao, and Wladek Walukiewicz 2010 35th IEEE Conf. on Photovoltaic Specialists (PVSC), p.001044 – 001047.

DOI: 10.1109/pvsc.2010.5614652

[8] JoachimPiprek, Academic Press 2003, Semiconductor Optoelectronic Devices: Introduction to Physics and Simulation p.194.

[9] Mool.C. Gupta and John Ballato, CRC Press 2006 Handbook of photonics 2ndEdition ch4 p.32.

[10] P. Michalopoulous2002 A novel approach for the development and optimization of state-of-the-art photovoltaic devices using Silvaco, Master's thesis, Naval Postgraduate School.

[11] M. Green, 2002 The verification of Silvaco as a solar cell simulation tool and the design and optimization of a four-junction solar cell, Master's Thesis, Naval Postgraduate School.

[12] Mathieu Bauddrit and Carlos Algora 2010 IEEE Transaction on electron devices Vol 57 pp.2564-2571.

[13] Jeffrey Lavery 2008 Quantum tunneling model of a p-n junction in SILVACO Naval post graduate thesis.

[14] Charl J. Neufeld et al2011 Applied physics letters 98, 243507.