Optimization of a GaAs/AlGaAs p-i-n heterojunction nanowire solar cell for improved optical and electrical properties

Sambuddha Majumder; Sambuddha Majumder; Krishnanunni R. A.; Sooraj Ravindran

doi:10.1364/JOSAB.492196

Journal of the Optical Society of America B
Vol. 40,
Issue 10,
pp. 2684-2695
(2023)
•https://doi.org/10.1364/JOSAB.492196

Optimization of a GaAs/AlGaAs p-i-n heterojunction nanowire solar cell for improved optical and electrical properties

Sambuddha Majumder, Krishnanunni R. A., and Sooraj Ravindran

Not Accessible

Your library or personal account may give you access

Get PDF
Email
Share
Get Citation
Copy Citation Text
Sambuddha Majumder, Krishnanunni R. A., and Sooraj Ravindran, "Optimization of a GaAs/AlGaAs p-i-n heterojunction nanowire solar cell for improved optical and electrical properties," J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 40, 2684-2695 (2023)

Export Citation
- BibTex
- Endnote (RIS)
- HTML
- Plain Text
Citation alert
Save article

Check for updates

Abstract

GaAs/AlGaAs based nanowires are promising candidates for photovoltaic applications due to their high absorption coefficient, low surface reflection, and efficient collection of photogenerated carriers. This study focuses on optimizing the performance of p-i-n GaAs/AlGaAs nanowire solar cell arrays having a radial junction using optoelectronic simulations. The research investigates the optimal doping for the GaAs core and AlGaAs shell, as well as the impact of shell thickness and junction positions on solar cell performance. Additionally, the study examines the effect of various surface effects, including the presence of surface traps, surface recombination velocities, and associated lifetime degradation. Our studies find that a high doping density for the shell and core region is crucial for achieving an appropriate band configuration and carrier extraction. It also highlights that having a larger doping density is more important than having a larger lifetime. Finally, the research examines the effect of different aluminum compositions on photogeneration inside the nanowire and shows that having a high aluminum composition can confine most photogeneration to inner GaAs regions, potentially allowing for thicker AlGaAs shells, which can efficiently prevent surface recombination.

Full Article | PDF Article

More Like This

Review on photonic properties of nanowires for photovoltaics [Invited]

S. Mokkapati and C. Jagadish
Opt. Express 24(15) 17345-17358 (2016)

Direct electrical contact of slanted ITO film on axial p-n junction silicon nanowire solar cells

Ya-Ju Lee, Yung-Chi Yao, and Chia-Hao Yang
Opt. Express 21(S1) A7-A14 (2013)

Performance-limiting factors for GaAs-based single nanowire photovoltaics

Xufeng Wang, Mohammad Ryyan Khan, Mark Lundstrom, and Peter Bermel
Opt. Express 22(S2) A344-A358 (2014)

Previous Article Next Article

Data availability

Data underlying the results presented in this paper are not publicly available at this time but may be obtained from the authors upon reasonable request.

Cited By

You do not have subscription access to this journal. Cited by links are available to subscribers only. You may subscribe either as an Optica member, or as an authorized user of your institution.

Contact your librarian or system administrator
or
Login to access Optica Member Subscription

Figures (16)

You do not have subscription access to this journal. Figure files are available to subscribers only. You may subscribe either as an Optica member, or as an authorized user of your institution.

Contact your librarian or system administrator
or
Login to access Optica Member Subscription

Tables (1)

You do not have subscription access to this journal. Article tables are available to subscribers only. You may subscribe either as an Optica member, or as an authorized user of your institution.

Contact your librarian or system administrator
or
Login to access Optica Member Subscription

Equations (3)

You do not have subscription access to this journal. Equations are available to subscribers only. You may subscribe either as an Optica member, or as an authorized user of your institution.

Contact your librarian or system administrator
or
Login to access Optica Member Subscription

Parameter	Values (GaAs)	Values (AlGaAs)
Bandgap (eV)	1.42	1.80
Affinity ( $χ$ ) (eV)	4.07	3.74
Radiative recombination coefficient ( $C_{r a d i a t i v e}$ ) ( ${c m}^{3} \cdot s^{- 1}$ )	$7.2 \times 10^{- 10}$	$7.2 \times 10^{- 10}$
SRH lifetimes ( $τ_{n}$ , $τ_{p}$ ) (ns)	$1$ ^a	$1$ ^a
Auger recombination coefficient ( $A_{n}$ , $A_{p}$ ) ( ${c m}^{6} \cdot s^{- 1}$ )	$1 \times 10^{- 30}$	$1 \times 10^{- 30}$
Electron mobility ( $μ_{n}$ ) ( ${c m}^{2} \cdot V^{- 1} \cdot s^{- 1}$ )	1200	2300
Hole mobility ( $μ_{p}$ ) ( ${c m}^{2} \cdot V^{- 1} \cdot s^{- 1}$ )	100	146
Electron relative effective mass	$0.067 m_{0}$	$0.0919 m_{0}$
Hole relative effective mass	$0.485 m_{0}$	$0.690 m_{0}$
Doping concentration ( ${c m}^{- 3}$ )	$1 \times 10^{18}$ ^a^b	$5 \times 10^{18}$ ^a
Axial shell thickness ( $t_{A}$ , $t_{i}$ , respectively) (nm)	20^a	20^a
Nanowire height ( $H_{N W}$ ) (µm)	2^a	2^a
Core radius ( $R_{c}$ ) (nm)	20	20
Nanowire radius ( $R_{N W}$ ) (nm)	90	90
Radial shell thickness ( $t_{r a d}$ ) (nm)	10–40^a	10–40^a
Trap density ( $N_{tD}$ , $N_{tA}$ ) for good passivation ( ${c m}^{- 2}$ )	$2 \times 10^{11}$	$2 \times 10^{11}$
Trap density ( $N_{tD}$ , $N_{tA}$ ) for worst passivation ( ${c m}^{- 2}$ )	$1 \times 10^{12}$	$1 \times 10^{12}$
Surface recombination velocities ( $S_{n}$ , $S_{p}$ ) ( $c m \cdot s^{- 1}$ ) for best passivation	0	0
Surface recombination velocities ( $S_{n}$ , $S_{p}$ ) ( $c m \cdot s^{- 1}$ ) for good passivation	1300	1300
Surface recombination velocities ( $S_{n}$ , $S_{p}$ ) ( $c m \cdot s^{- 1}$ ) for worst passivation	$1 \times 10^{7}$	$1 \times 10^{7}$
Electron–hole capture cross-section ( $σ_{n}$ , $σ_{p}$ ) ( ${c m}^{2}$ )	$1 \times 10^{- 17}$	$1 \times 10^{- 17}$
Illumination	AM1.5 (1 sun)	AM1.5 (1 sun)

Abstract

Data availability

Cited By

Figures (16)

Tables (1)

Equations (3)

Journal of the Optical Society of America B