Ultrathin film, high specific power InP solar cells on flexible plastic substrates
Abstract
We demonstrate ultrathin-film, single-crystal InP Schottky-type solar cells mounted on flexible plastic substrates. The lightly p-doped InP cell is grown epitaxially on an InP substrate via gas source molecular beam epitaxy. The InP substrate is removed via selective chemical wet-etching after the epitaxial layers are cold-welded to a 25 μm thick Kapton® sheet, followed by the deposition of an indium tin oxide top contact that forms the Schottky barrier with InP. The power conversion efficiency under 1 sun is 10.2±1.0%, and its specific power is 2.0±0.2 kW/kg. The ultrathin-film solar cells can tolerate both tensile and compressive stress by bending over a <1 cm radius without damage.
- Publication:
-
Applied Physics Letters
- Pub Date:
- November 2009
- DOI:
- 10.1063/1.3268805
- Bibcode:
- 2009ApPhL..95v3503S
- Keywords:
-
- bending;
- compressibility;
- doping profiles;
- etching;
- III-V semiconductors;
- indium compounds;
- molecular beam epitaxial growth;
- Schottky barriers;
- semiconductor doping;
- semiconductor epitaxial layers;
- solar cells;
- tensile strength;
- 88.40.jm;
- 81.15.Hi;
- 68.60.Bs;
- 81.65.Cf;
- 73.30.+y;
- 81.40.Lm;
- Molecular atomic ion and chemical beam epitaxy;
- Mechanical and acoustical properties;
- Surface cleaning etching patterning;
- Surface double layers Schottky barriers and work functions;
- Deformation plasticity and creep