Improved performance of GaInNAs solar cell after UV-activated hydrogenation

While GaInNaAs has been earmarked as a possible candidate [1] for a 1 eV solar cell material in a multi-junction solar it has not made a lot of traction. This is due primarily to serious material limitations that arise from the non-ideal growth conditions that are necessary to incorporate nitrogen while preventing phase segregation. There has been some success, most notably Solar Junction's world record power conversion efficiency of a solar cell with a GaInNAsSb cell [2]. Yet, there remains pertinent questions concerning lifetime, reproducibility, and yield in order for this material to become widely used as part of a commercial solar cell. Previously, we reported on the improved photoluminescence of GaInNAs materials which had been achieved through the selective passivation of defect centers. Now, we present results that show that GaInNAs solar cells can be improved using this UV-activated hydrogenation process. Hydrogenated solar cells show a greater than two times improvement with respect to reference cells in terms of short circuit current and external quantum efficiency.