MECHANISM OF ZN AND SI DIFFUSION FROM A HIGHLY DOPED TUNNEL JUNCTION FOR INGAP/GAAS TANDEM SOLAR CELLS

Diffusion of impurities (Zn and Si) from a tunnel junction during epitaxial growth and the effects of impurity diffusion on InGaP/GaAs tandem cell properties have been investigated. Zn diffusion from the tunnel junction has been found to deteriorate the effect of the back-surface field layer on minority carrier reflectance in the InGaP top cell and degrade the quantum efficiency of the top cell. Furthermore, Zn diffusion has been found to be enhanced around the threading dislocations from a GaAs substrate and creates shunt paths only in the top cell region. Si diffusion, which degrades the quantum efficiency of the GaAs bottom cell, has also been observed when a different substrate with high etch pit density was used. Such anomalous diffusion of Zn has been found to be suppressed by using a double-hetero structure InGaP tunnel junction sandwiched by AlInP layers. It has been found that the Zn diffusion occurs as a layer highly doped with Si being formed nearby and Zn diffuses in the opposite direction fro...