Ultra-thin GaAs single-junction solar cells integrated with an AlInP layer for reflective back scattering

This paper proposes and demonstrates the use of a textured and lattice-matched semiconductor layer coated with a Au reflector for reflective back scattering to enhance the efficiency of single-junction solar cells with ultra-thin absorbers. The device structure studied in this work consists of an In
0.49
Ga
0.51
P/GaAs/In
0.49
Ga
0.51
P double-heterostructure single-junction solar cell with a GaAs absorber of either 300 nm or 1000 nm thick, as well as a textured Al
0.52
In
0.48
P layer coated with a highly reflective Au film. The devices, areas ranging from 0.3×0.3 mm
²
to 1×1 mm
²
, are flip-chip bonded onto Si carrier substrates, covered by a contact metal grid (with a 9.7% or 10.7% shadow area for the 300 nm and 1000 nm devices, respectively) and a MgF
2
/ZnS anti-reflective coating. Both types of device designs demonstrate an open-circuit voltage of 1.00 V, short-circuit current densities of 24.5 and 26.1 mA/cm
²
, and power conversion efficiencies of 19.1% and 20.6%, respectively; these measurements are carried out under 1 sun solar radiation (AM 1.5G, 0.1 W/cm
²
). It is reasonable to expect that the short-circuit current densities and conversion efficiencies of these devices could reach 26.6 mA/cm
²
and 28.6 mA/cm
²
, and 20.7% and 22.6%, respectively, when a typical contact grid layout with 2% surface coverage is used. These short-circuit current densities are only 3.6 and 1.6 mA/cm
²
lower than the maximum theoretical value 30.2 mA/cm
²
, respectively.