# US 2012/0073638 A1 · InP-Based Multi-Junction Photovoltaic and Optoelectronic Devices

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- Number: US 2012/0073638 A1
- Document ID: US20120073638A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/238,847
- Filed: 2011-09-21
- Published: 2012-03-29
- Earliest claimed: 2010-09-21
- Assignees: Arizona Board of Regents, a body corporate of the State of AZ, acting for & on behalf of Arizona
- Inventors: Yong-Hang Zhang; Ding Ding
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20120073638A1

## CPC

- H10F 10/142: comprising multiple PN homojunctions, e.g. tandem cells
- H10F 77/1237: {having at least three elements, e.g. HgCdTe}
- H10F 77/1248: {having three or more elements, e.g. GaAlAs, InGaAs or InGaAsP}
- Y02B 10/10: Photovoltaic [PV]
- Y02E 10/544: Solar cells from Group III-V materials
- H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION
- Y02B: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

Lattice-matched II-VI (ZnCdHg)(SeTe) and III-V (InGaAsP) semiconductors grown on InP substrates can be used for preparing multi junction solar cells that can potentially reach efficiencies greater than 40% under one sun. For example, a semiconductor structure can be prepared comprising, an InP substrate; an optional InGaAsP building block formed over the InP substrate; an InP building block formed over either the InGaAsP building block, when present, or the InP substrate and at least one (ZnCdHg)(SeTe) building block formed over the InP building block.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A semiconductor structure comprising,
an InP substrate;
an optional InGaAsP building block formed over and lattice matched or pseudomorphically strained to the InP substrate;
an InP building block formed over and lattice matched or pseudomorphically strained to either (i) the InGaAsP building block, when present; or (ii) the InP substrate;
at least one (ZnCdHg)(SeTe) building block formed over and lattice matched or pseudomorphically strained to the InP building block, wherein,
when more than one (ZnCdHg)(SeTe) building block is present, each
(ZnCdHg)(SeTe) building block has a different bandgap;
and a tunnel diode between each of the building blocks.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor structure of claim 1, wherein the InaGa1-aAsbP1-b building block is formed over and lattice matched to the substrate.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor structure of claim 1, wherein one (ZnCdHg)(SeTe) building block is formed over and lattice matched to the InP building block.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The semiconductor structure of claim 1, wherein
a first (ZnCdHg)(SeTe) building block is formed over and lattice matched to the InP building block; and
a second (ZnCdHg)(SeTe) building block is formed over and lattice matched to the first (ZnCdHg)(SeTe) building block.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The semiconductor structure of claim 4, wherein the first (ZnCdHg)(SeTe) building block comprises CdxZnyHg1-x-y Se.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The semiconductor structure of claim 4, wherein the first (ZnCdHg)(SeTe) building block has a band gap of about 1.80 to 2.00 eV.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The semiconductor structure of claim 5, wherein x and y are each independently between about 0.40 and 0.50, provided that 1-x-y is greater than 0.

### Claim 8 (depends on 4)

The semiconductor structure of claim 4, wherein the second (ZnCdHg)(SeTe) building block comprises ZnSe1-zTez.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The semiconductor structure of claim 8, wherein the second (ZnCdHg)(SeTe) building block has a band gap of about 2.00 to 2.20 eV.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The semiconductor structure of claim 8, wherein z in between about 0.50 and 0.60.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

A solar cell comprising a semiconductor structure according to claim 1.