Quantum wire-on-well (WoW) cell with long carrier lifetime for efficient carrier transport
File(s)PIP_WoW_submit_cor.pdf (1.02 MB)
Accepted version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
A quantum wire-on-well (WoW) structure, taking advantage of the layer undulation of an InGaAs/GaAs/GaAsP superlattice grown on a vicinal substrate, was demonstrated to enhance the carrier collection from the confinement levels and extend the carrier lifetime (220 ns) by approximately four times more than a planar reference superlattice. Strained InGaAs/GaAs/GaAsP superlattices were grown on GaAs substrates under exactly the same conditions except for the substrate misorientation (0 and 6 ° off). The growth on a 6 ° off substrate induced significant layer undulation as a result of step bunching and non-uniform precursor incorporation between steps and terraces, whereas the growth on a substrate without miscut resulted in planar layers. The undulation was the most significant for InGaAs layers, forming periodically aligned InGaAs nanowires on planar wells, a WoW structure. As for the photocurrent corresponding to the sub-bandgap range of GaAs, the light absorption by the WoW was extended to longer wavelengths and weakened as compared with the planar superlattice. Almost the same photocurrent was obtained for both the WoW and the planar superlattice. Open-circuit voltage for the WoW was not affected by the longer-wavelength absorption edge, and the same value was obtained for the two structures. Furthermore, the superior carrier collection in the WoW, especially under forward biases, improved fill factor compared with the planer superlattice.
Date Issued
2016-03-24
Date Acceptance
2016-01-28
Citation
Progress in Photovoltaics, 2016, 24 (12), pp.1606-1614
ISSN
1099-159X
Publisher
Wiley
Start Page
1606
End Page
1614
Journal / Book Title
Progress in Photovoltaics
Volume
24
Issue
12
Copyright Statement
© 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. This is the accepted version of the following article: 'Sugiyama, M., Fujii, H., Katoh, T., Toprasertpong, K., Sodabanlu, H., Watanabe, K., Alonso-Álvarez, D., Ekins-Daukes, N. J., and Nakano, Y. (2016) Quantum wire-on-well (WoW) cell with long carrier lifetime for efficient carrier transport. Prog. Photovolt: Res. Appl.', which has been published in final form at http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/pip.2769
Sponsor
Commission of the European Communities
Commission of the European Communities
Grant Number
283798
302088
Subjects
Science & Technology
Technology
Physical Sciences
Energy & Fuels
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Physics, Applied
Materials Science
Physics
quantum wire
quantum well
III-V semiconductor
DOT SOLAR-CELLS
2-STEP PHOTON-ABSORPTION
OPEN-CIRCUIT VOLTAGE
SUPERLATTICES
TRANSITIONS
JUNCTION
DEVICES
GROWTH
MOVPE
Applied Physics
0204 Condensed Matter Physics
0912 Materials Engineering
0999 Other Engineering
Publication Status
Published