A V-grooved GaAs solar cell

A GaAs homojunction cell was fabricated by etching a V-groove pattern into an n-epilayer (2.1*10/sup 17/ cm/sup -3/) grown by MOCVD (metal-organic chemical vapor deposition) on an n/sup +/ substrate (2.8*10/sup 18/ cm/sup -3/) and then depositing on MOCVD p-epilayer (4.2*10/sup 18/ cm/sup -3/). Reflectivity measurements on cells with and without an antireflective coating confirm the expected decrease in reflectance of the microgrooved cell compared to the planar structure. Examination of the dark current-voltage characteristics of the test diodes has revealed that a reverse saturation current density of about 1*10/sup -18/ A/cm/sup 2/ (total area) is readily achievable with these solar cells, assuming a diode ideality factor of one. The short-circuit current of the V-grooved solar cell was 13% higher than that of the planar control.<<ETX>>