Study the Al-oxide/GaAs Interface Characteristics by Spectral Response of GaAs Solar Cells

Abstract

The Al-oxide formed by wet-thermal oxidation of AlAs is used as the anti-reflection (AR) coating of the GaAs solar cell. Results of spectral response measurement suggest that the interfacial recombination velocity is extremely high at the Al-oxide/GaAs interface. Adding a 20-nm-thick Al0.4Ga0.6As barrier layer between the Al-oxide and the GaAs emitter can reduce the influence of interfacial recombination and enhance the performance of the GaAs solar cell. The energy conversion efficiency of the GaAs solar cell utilizing the wet oxidation of AlAs to form the AR coating is 19.43% under the luminescence condition of one-sun, AM 1.5G and 100 mW/cm(2).