Abstract
Interface recombination velocity in $Al_{x}$G $a_{1-x}$ As-GaAs and $Al_{0.85}$, G $a_{0.15}$ As-GaA $s_{1-y}$S $b_{y}$ heterojunction systems is studied as a function of lattice mismatch. The results are applied to the design of highly efficient III-V heterojunction solar cells. A horizontal liquid-phase epitaxial growth system was used to prepare p-p-p and p-p-n $Al_{x}$G $a_{1-x}$ As-GaA $s_{1-y}$S $b_{y}$-A $l_{x}$G $a_{1-x}$ As double heterojunction test samples with specified values of x and y. Samples were grown at each composition, with different GaAs and GaAs Sb layer thicknesses. A method was developed to obtain the lattice mismatch and lattice constants in mixed single crystals grown on (100) and (111)B oriented GaAs substrates. In the AlGaAs system, elastic lattice deformation with effective Poisson ratios .mu.$_{eff}$ (100=0.312 and .mu.$_{eff}$ (111B) =0.190 was observed. The lattice constant $a_{0}$ (A $l_{x}$G $a_{1-x}$ As)=5.6532+0.0084x.angs. was obtained at 300K which is in good Agreement with Vegard's law. In the GaAsSb system, although elastic lattice deformation was observed in (111) B-oriented crystals, misfit dislocations reduced the Poisson ratio to zero in (100)-oriented samples. When $a_{0}$ (GaSb)=6.0959 .angs. was assumed at 300K, both (100) and (111)B oriented GaAsSb layers deviated only slightly from Vegard's law. Both (100) and (111)B zero-mismatch $Al_{0.85}$ G $a_{0.15}$As-GaA $s_{1-y}$S $b_{y}$ layers were grown from melts with a weight ratio of $W_{sb}$ / $W_{Ga}$ =0.13 and a growth temperature of 840 to 820 .deg.C. The corresponding Sb compositions were y=0.015 and 0.024 on (100) and (111)B orientations, respectively. This occurs because of a fortuitous in the Sb distribution coefficient with orientation. Interface recombination velocity was estimated from the dependence of the effective minority carrier lifetime on double-heterojunction spacing, using either optical phase-shift or electroluminescence timedecay techniques. The recombination velocity at a (100) interface was reduced from (2 to 3)*10$^{4}$ for y=0 to (6 to 7)*10$^{3}$ cm/sec for lattice-matched $Al_{0.85}$G $a_{0.15}$As-GaA $s_{0.985}$S $b_{0.015}$ Although this reduction is slightly less than that expected from the exponential relationship between interface recombination velocity and lattice mismatch as found in the AlGaAs-GaAs system, solar cells constructed from such a combination of materials should have an excellent spectral response to photons with energies over the full range from 1.4 to 2.6 eV. Similar measurements on a (111) B oriented lattice-matched heterojunction produced some-what larger interface recombination velocities.ities.ities.s.