Theoretical optimization of base doping concentration for radiation resistance of InGaP subcells of InGaP/GaAs/Ge based on minority-carrier lifetime

InGaP/GaAs/Ge中におけるInGaPサブセルの耐放射線性強化のためのベース層ドーピング濃度の少数キャリア寿命に基づく理論最適化

Elfiky, D.*; 山口 真史*; 佐々木 拓生*; 高本 達也*; 森岡 千晴*; 今泉 充*; 大島 武; 佐藤 真一郎; Elnawawy, M.*; Eldesoky, T.*; Ghitas, A.*

Elfiky, D.*; Yamaguchi, Masafumi*; Sasaki, Takuo*; Takamoto, Tatsuya*; Morioka, Chiharu*; Imaizumi, Mitsuru*; Oshima, Takeshi; Sato, Shinichiro; Elnawawy, M.*; Eldesoky, T.*; Ghitas, A.*

宇宙用三接合太陽電池の耐放射線性強化技術開発の一環として、InGaP/GaAs/Ge太陽電池におけるInGaPサブセルのベース層キャリア濃度と耐放射線性の関係について調べた。発生キャリアの拡散長やベース層キャリア濃度をパラメータとしたシミュレーション解析を行った結果、低キャリア濃度のInGaPセルの方がより耐放射線性が高いことが導かれ、高崎量子応用研究所TIARAで行った陽子線照射実験の結果をよく再現することができた。また、低エネルギー(30keV)陽子線照射による少数キャリア拡散長の損傷係数及びキャリア枯渇係数は初期キャリア濃度には依存しなかったことから、耐放射線性の違いは発生電荷の収集を担う空乏層の長さや電界強度の影響、不純物に関連する複合欠陥に起因しているという可能性が示唆された。

One of the fundamental objectives for research and development of space solar cells is to improve their radiation resistance. InGaP solar cells with low base carrier concentrations under low-energy proton irradiations have shown high radiation resistances. In this study, an analytical model for low-energy proton radiation damage to InGaP subcells based on a fundamental approach for radiative and nonradiative recombinations has been proposed. The radiation resistance of InGaP subcells as a function of base carrier concentration has been analyzed by using the radiative recombination lifetime and damage coefficient K for the minority-carrier lifetime of InGaP. Numerical analysis shows that an InGaP solar cell with a lower base carrier concentration is more radiation-resistant. Satisfactory agreements between analytical and experimental results have been obtained, and these results show the validity of the analytical procedure. The damage coefficients for minority-carrier diffusion length and carrier removal rate with low-energy proton irradiations have been observed to be dependent on carrier concentration through this study. As physical mechanisms behind the difference observed between the radiation-resistant properties of various base doping concentrations, two mechanisms, namely, the effect of a depletion layer as a carrier collection layer and generation of the impurity-related complex defects due to low-energy protons stopping within the active region, have been proposed.