On the absorption coefficient of GaP1-xNx layers and its potential application for silicon photovoltaics

The absorption coefficient and the energy gap of GaP1-xNx layers has been obtained by spectroscopic ellipsometry for samples grown on Si(001) substrates by chemical beam epitaxy with N mole fractions in the range 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.081. The resulting absorption spectra exhibit a direct band-like behavior nea...

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Bibliographic Details
Authors: Ben Saddik, Karim, Hernández Muñoz, María Jesús, Pampillón Arce, María Ángela, Cervera Goy, Manuel, García Carretero, Basilio Javier
Format: article
Publication Date:2024
Country:España
Institution:Universidad Autónoma de Madrid
Repository:Biblos-e Archivo. Repositorio Institucional de la UAM
Language:English
OAI Identifier:oai:repositorio.uam.es:10486/715781
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/10486/715781
https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.mssp.2024.109011
Access Level:Open access
Keyword:III-V Alloys
Dilute Nitrides
Solar Cells
Spectroscopic Ellipsometry
Absorption Coefficient
Band Anticrossing
Física
Description
Summary:The absorption coefficient and the energy gap of GaP1-xNx layers has been obtained by spectroscopic ellipsometry for samples grown on Si(001) substrates by chemical beam epitaxy with N mole fractions in the range 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.081. The resulting absorption spectra exhibit a direct band-like behavior near the absorption edge. The absorption coefficient values increase with the N content, reaching values in the range α ~ 1-2x104 cm 1 in the vicinity of the absorption edge below the original GaP direct bandgap, which are comparable to those obtained for high efficiency solar cell materials. Furthermore, dependence of the absorption coefficient with increasing N content points to a strong GaP Γ-like character of the conduction-band wave function of GaP1-xNx alloys near the Brillouin zone center at k = 0, as predicted by the band anticrossing model. Bandgap energy values obtained by spectroscopic ellipsometry are compared with previous values obtained by photoluminescence measurements on the same samples, observing a shift of about 50–100 meV. Finally, the value of the band anticrossing parameter coupling the Nlevel and the host GaP conduction band has been obtained from the dependence of both, the bandgap and the absorption coefficient, with the N content (2.1 and 3.3 eV respectively)