High temperature current–voltage characteristics of InP‐based tunnel junctions

In this paper, we present temperature‐dependent current–voltage measurements of tunnel junctions lattice matched to InP at temperatures ranging from room temperature to 220 °C. Temperature‐dependent tunneling properties were extracted by fitting the current–voltage characteristics using a simple ana...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Progress in photovoltaics 2015-06, Vol.23 (6), p.773-782
Main Authors: Lumb, Matthew P., González, María, Yakes, Michael K., Affouda, Chaffra A., Bailey, Christopher G., Walters, Robert J.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Cladding
Devices
Drift
III–V
InP
Mathematical models
multi‐junction solar cell
Quantum wells
Temperature dependence
tunnel junction
Tunnel junctions
Tunneling
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Summary:In this paper, we present temperature‐dependent current–voltage measurements of tunnel junctions lattice matched to InP at temperatures ranging from room temperature to 220 °C. Temperature‐dependent tunneling properties were extracted by fitting the current–voltage characteristics using a simple analytical formula. Three different designs of tunnel junction were characterized, including a bulk InAlGaAs tunnel junction, an InAlGaAs tunnel junction with InAlAs cladding layers and an InGaAs/InAlGaAs quantum‐well tunnel junction. Each device exhibited different temperature dependence in peak tunnel current and excess current, with the quantum‐well tunnel junction exhibiting the greatest temperature sensitivity. We use a non‐local tunneling model, in conjunction with a numerical drift‐diffusion solver, to explain the performance improvement available by using double heterostructure cladding layers around the junction region, and use the same model to explain the observed temperature dependence of the devices. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. In this paper, temperature‐dependent current–voltage measurements of tunnel junctions lattice matched to InP are presented at temperatures ranging from room temperature to 220 °C. Three different designs of tunnel junction were characterized, including a bulk InAlGaAs tunnel junction, an InAlGaAs tunnel junction with InAlAs cladding layers and an InGaAs/InAlGaAs quantum‐well tunnel junction. We use a non‐local tunneling model, in conjunction with a numerical drift‐diffusion solver, to explain the performance of the devices.
ISSN:1062-7995
1099-159X
DOI:10.1002/pip.2495