Four-junction AlGaAs/GaAs laser power converter

Jie Huang; Yurun Sun; Yongming Zhao; Shuzhen Yu; Jianrong Dong; Jiping Xue; Chi Xue; Jin Wang; Yunqing Lu; Yanwen Ding

doi:10.1088/1674-4926/39/4/044003

J. Semicond. > 2018, Volume 39 > Issue 4 > 044003, doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/39/4/044003

SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES

Four-junction AlGaAs/GaAs laser power converter

Jie Huang^{1, 2}, Yurun Sun¹, Yongming Zhao^{1, 2}, Shuzhen Yu¹, Jianrong Dong^1,, Jiping Xue³, Chi Xue³, Jin Wang⁴, Yunqing Lu⁴ and Yanwen Ding⁴

+ Author Affiliations

Corresponding author: Jianrong Dong, E-mail: jrdong2007@sinano.ac.cn

Abstract: Four-junction AlGaAs/GaAs laser power converters (LPCs) with n⁺-GaAs/p⁺-Al_0.37Ga_0.63As heterostructure tunnel junctions (TJs) have been designed and grown by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) for converting the power of 808 nm lasers. A maximum conversion efficiency η_c of 56.9% ± 4% is obtained for cells with an aperture of 3.14 mm² at an input laser power of 0.2 W, while dropping to 43.3% at 1.5 W. Measured current–voltage (I–V) characteristics indicate that the performance of the LPC can be further improved by increasing the tunneling current density of TJs and optimizing the thicknesses of sub-cells to achieve current matching in LPC.

Key words: laser power converters (LPCs), metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD), GaAs

References

[1]	Park S, Borton D A, Kang M, et al. An implantable neural sensing microsystem with fiber-optic data transmission and power delivery. Sensors, 2013, 13(5): 6014 doi: 10.3390/s130506014
[2]	Fafard S, Proulx F, York M C A, et al. High-photovoltage GaAs vertical epitaxial monolithic heterostructures with 20 thin p/n junctions and a conversion efficiency of 60%. Appl Phys Lett, 2016, 109: 131107 doi: 10.1063/1.4964120
[3]	Singh N, Ho C K F, Leong Y N, et al. InAlGaAs/InP-based laser photovoltaic converter at ~1070 nm. IEEE Electron Device Lett, 2016, 37(9): 1154 doi: 10.1109/LED.2016.2591015
[4]	Schubert J, Oliva E, Dimroth F, et al. High-voltage GaAs photovoltaic laser power converters. IEEE Trans Electron Devices, 2009, 56: 170 doi: 10.1109/TED.2008.2010603
[5]	Shan T Q, Qi X L. Design and optimization of GaAs photovoltaic converter for laser power beaming. Infrared Phys Technol, 2015, 71: 144 doi: 10.1016/j.infrared.2015.03.010
[6]	Emelyanov V M, Mintairov S A, Sorokina S V, et al. Simulation of the Ohmic loss in photovoltaic laser-power converters for wavelengths of 809 nm and 1064 nm. Semiconductors, 2016, 50(1): 125 doi: 10.1134/S1063782616010085
[7]	Oliva E, Dimroth F, Bett A W. GaAs converters for high power densities of laser illumination. Prog Photovolt: Res Appl, 2008, 16: 289 doi: 10.1002/pip.v16:4
[8]	Khvostikov V P, Kalyuzhnyy N A, Mintairov S A, et al. Photovoltaic laser-power converter based on AlGaAs/GaAs heterostructures. Semiconductors, 2016, 50(9): 1220 doi: 10.1134/S1063782616090128
[9]	Masson D, Proulx F, Fafard S. Pushing the limits of concentrated photovoltaic solar cell tunnel junctions in novel high-efficiency GaAs phototransducers based on a vertical epitaxial heterostructure architecture. Prog Photovolt: Res Appl, 2015, 23(12): 1687 doi: 10.1002/pip.2709
[10]	Fave A, Kaminski A, Gavand M, et al. GaAs converter for high power laser diode. 25th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference (Washington, USA), 1996: 101
[11]	Olsen L C, Huber D A, Dunham G, et al. High efficiency monochromatic GaAs solar cells. 22th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference (Las Vegas, USA), 1991: 419
[12]	Singh P, Ravindra N M. Temperature dependence of solar cell performance—an analysis. Sol Energy Mater Sol Cells, 2012, 101(1): 36 doi: 10.1016/j.solmat.2012.02.019
[13]	Zhang H, Chen N F, Wang Y, et al. Design and optimization of a monolithic GaInP/GaInAs tandem solar cell. J Semicond, 2010, 31(8): 084009 doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/31/8/084009
[14]	Sun Y R, Dong J R, He Y, et al. A six-junction GaAs laser power converter with different sizes of active aperture. Optoelectron Lett, 2017, 13(1): 0021 doi: 10.1007/s11801-016-6193-8
[15]	Jung D, Parker C A, Ramdani J, et al. AlGaAs/GaInP heterojunction tunnel diode for cascade solar cell application. J Appl Phys, 1993, 74: 2090 doi: 10.1063/1.354753
[16]	Sharma P, Walker A W, Wheeldon J F, et al. Enhanced efficiencies for high-concentration, multijunction PV systems by optimizing grid spacing under nonuniform illumination. Int J Photoenergy, 2014, 2014: 582083 doi: 10.1155/2014/582083
[17]	Samberg J P, Carlin C Z, Bradshaw G K, et al. Effect of GaAs interfacial layer on the performance of high bandgap tunnel junction for multijunction solar cells. Appl Phys Lett, 2013, 103: 103503 doi: 10.1063/1.4819917
[18]	Katz E A, Gordon J M, Tassew W, et al. Photovoltaic characterization of convertor solar cells by localized irradiation. J Appl Phys, 2006, 100: 044514 doi: 10.1063/1.2266161
[19]	Zhao Y M, Sun Y R, He Y, et al. Design and fabrication of six-volt vertically-stacked GaAs photovoltaic power converter. Sci Rep, 2016, 6: 38044 doi: 10.1038/srep38044
[20]	Hirst L C, akes M K, Warner J H, et al. Intrinsic radiation tolerance of ultra-thin GaAs solar cells. Appl Phys Lett, 2016, 109: 033908 doi: 10.1063/1.4959784

Fig. 1. Schematic structure of an LPC.

DownLoad: Full-Size Img PowerPoint

Fig. 2. (a) Calculated J–V curves of each sub-cell under 10 W/cm² of intensity, and (b) V_oc of sub-cells at varying illumination intensities.

DownLoad: Full-Size Img PowerPoint

Fig. 3. Calculated (a) V_oc and J_sc, and (b) η_c as function of input power density.

DownLoad: Full-Size Img PowerPoint

Fig. 4. (Color online) (a) I–V characteristics, (b) output power of an LPC, and (c) FF and η_c as a function of input laser power. The inset shows a microscopic image of an LPC.

DownLoad: Full-Size Img PowerPoint

Fig. 5. Measured V_oc of an LPC as a function of lg P_in. The inset shows calculated and measured J_sc at different input laser power densities.

DownLoad: Full-Size Img PowerPoint

Table 1. The reverse saturation current density (J₀), ideality factor (n), shadowing factor, IQE, reflectance of surface and FF used for estimation.

J₀ (A/cm²)	n	Shadowing factor	IQE	Reflectance	FF
6 × 10^–20	4	0.06	0.998	0.002	0.855

DownLoad: CSV

[1]	Park S, Borton D A, Kang M, et al. An implantable neural sensing microsystem with fiber-optic data transmission and power delivery. Sensors, 2013, 13(5): 6014 doi: 10.3390/s130506014
[2]	Fafard S, Proulx F, York M C A, et al. High-photovoltage GaAs vertical epitaxial monolithic heterostructures with 20 thin p/n junctions and a conversion efficiency of 60%. Appl Phys Lett, 2016, 109: 131107 doi: 10.1063/1.4964120
[3]	Singh N, Ho C K F, Leong Y N, et al. InAlGaAs/InP-based laser photovoltaic converter at ~1070 nm. IEEE Electron Device Lett, 2016, 37(9): 1154 doi: 10.1109/LED.2016.2591015
[4]	Schubert J, Oliva E, Dimroth F, et al. High-voltage GaAs photovoltaic laser power converters. IEEE Trans Electron Devices, 2009, 56: 170 doi: 10.1109/TED.2008.2010603
[5]	Shan T Q, Qi X L. Design and optimization of GaAs photovoltaic converter for laser power beaming. Infrared Phys Technol, 2015, 71: 144 doi: 10.1016/j.infrared.2015.03.010
[6]	Emelyanov V M, Mintairov S A, Sorokina S V, et al. Simulation of the Ohmic loss in photovoltaic laser-power converters for wavelengths of 809 nm and 1064 nm. Semiconductors, 2016, 50(1): 125 doi: 10.1134/S1063782616010085
[7]	Oliva E, Dimroth F, Bett A W. GaAs converters for high power densities of laser illumination. Prog Photovolt: Res Appl, 2008, 16: 289 doi: 10.1002/pip.v16:4
[8]	Khvostikov V P, Kalyuzhnyy N A, Mintairov S A, et al. Photovoltaic laser-power converter based on AlGaAs/GaAs heterostructures. Semiconductors, 2016, 50(9): 1220 doi: 10.1134/S1063782616090128
[9]	Masson D, Proulx F, Fafard S. Pushing the limits of concentrated photovoltaic solar cell tunnel junctions in novel high-efficiency GaAs phototransducers based on a vertical epitaxial heterostructure architecture. Prog Photovolt: Res Appl, 2015, 23(12): 1687 doi: 10.1002/pip.2709
[10]	Fave A, Kaminski A, Gavand M, et al. GaAs converter for high power laser diode. 25th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference (Washington, USA), 1996: 101
[11]	Olsen L C, Huber D A, Dunham G, et al. High efficiency monochromatic GaAs solar cells. 22th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference (Las Vegas, USA), 1991: 419
[12]	Singh P, Ravindra N M. Temperature dependence of solar cell performance—an analysis. Sol Energy Mater Sol Cells, 2012, 101(1): 36 doi: 10.1016/j.solmat.2012.02.019
[13]	Zhang H, Chen N F, Wang Y, et al. Design and optimization of a monolithic GaInP/GaInAs tandem solar cell. J Semicond, 2010, 31(8): 084009 doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/31/8/084009
[14]	Sun Y R, Dong J R, He Y, et al. A six-junction GaAs laser power converter with different sizes of active aperture. Optoelectron Lett, 2017, 13(1): 0021 doi: 10.1007/s11801-016-6193-8
[15]	Jung D, Parker C A, Ramdani J, et al. AlGaAs/GaInP heterojunction tunnel diode for cascade solar cell application. J Appl Phys, 1993, 74: 2090 doi: 10.1063/1.354753
[16]	Sharma P, Walker A W, Wheeldon J F, et al. Enhanced efficiencies for high-concentration, multijunction PV systems by optimizing grid spacing under nonuniform illumination. Int J Photoenergy, 2014, 2014: 582083 doi: 10.1155/2014/582083
[17]	Samberg J P, Carlin C Z, Bradshaw G K, et al. Effect of GaAs interfacial layer on the performance of high bandgap tunnel junction for multijunction solar cells. Appl Phys Lett, 2013, 103: 103503 doi: 10.1063/1.4819917
[18]	Katz E A, Gordon J M, Tassew W, et al. Photovoltaic characterization of convertor solar cells by localized irradiation. J Appl Phys, 2006, 100: 044514 doi: 10.1063/1.2266161
[19]	Zhao Y M, Sun Y R, He Y, et al. Design and fabrication of six-volt vertically-stacked GaAs photovoltaic power converter. Sci Rep, 2016, 6: 38044 doi: 10.1038/srep38044
[20]	Hirst L C, akes M K, Warner J H, et al. Intrinsic radiation tolerance of ultra-thin GaAs solar cells. Appl Phys Lett, 2016, 109: 033908 doi: 10.1063/1.4959784

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Received: 10 August 2017 Revised: 30 September 2017 Online: Uncorrected proof: 24 January 2018Accepted Manuscript: 01 March 2018Published: 01 April 2018

Article Navigation > Journal of Semiconductors > 2018 > 39(4): 044003

Jie Huang, Yurun Sun, Yongming Zhao, Shuzhen Yu, Jianrong Dong, Jiping Xue, Chi Xue, Jin Wang, Yunqing Lu, Yanwen Ding. Four-junction AlGaAs/GaAs laser power converter[J]. Journal of Semiconductors, 2018, 39(4): 044003. doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/39/4/044003 ****J Huang, Y R Sun, Y M Zhao, S Z Yu, J R Dong, J P Xue, C Xue, J Wang, Y Q Lu, Y W Ding. Four-junction AlGaAs/GaAs laser power converter[J]. J. Semicond., 2018, 39(4): 044003. doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/39/4/044003.

Citation:

Jie Huang, Yurun Sun, Yongming Zhao, Shuzhen Yu, Jianrong Dong, Jiping Xue, Chi Xue, Jin Wang, Yunqing Lu, Yanwen Ding. Four-junction AlGaAs/GaAs laser power converter[J]. Journal of Semiconductors, 2018, 39(4): 044003. doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/39/4/044003 ****

J Huang, Y R Sun, Y M Zhao, S Z Yu, J R Dong, J P Xue, C Xue, J Wang, Y Q Lu, Y W Ding. Four-junction AlGaAs/GaAs laser power converter[J]. J. Semicond., 2018, 39(4): 044003. doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/39/4/044003.

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Four-junction AlGaAs/GaAs laser power converter

doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/39/4/044003

1.
Key Laboratory of Nano Devices and Applications, Suzhou Institute of Nano-Tech and Nano-Bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou 215123, China
2.
University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
3.
Zhongtian Technology Group Co. Ltd, Nantong 226009, China
4.
School of Opto-Electronic Engineering, Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Nanjing 210023, China

Funds:

Project financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 61376065) and Zhongtian Technology Group Co. Ltd.

More Information

Corresponding author: E-mail: jrdong2007@sinano.ac.cn
Received Date: 2017-08-10
Revised Date: 2017-09-30
Published Date: 2018-04-01

Abstract

Abstract

Four-junction AlGaAs/GaAs laser power converters (LPCs) with n⁺-GaAs/p⁺-Al_0.37Ga_0.63As heterostructure tunnel junctions (TJs) have been designed and grown by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) for converting the power of 808 nm lasers. A maximum conversion efficiency η_c of 56.9% ± 4% is obtained for cells with an aperture of 3.14 mm² at an input laser power of 0.2 W, while dropping to 43.3% at 1.5 W. Measured current–voltage (I–V) characteristics indicate that the performance of the LPC can be further improved by increasing the tunneling current density of TJs and optimizing the thicknesses of sub-cells to achieve current matching in LPC.
- laser power converters (LPCs),
- metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD),
- GaAs

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References(20)

References

[1]	Park S, Borton D A, Kang M, et al. An implantable neural sensing microsystem with fiber-optic data transmission and power delivery. Sensors, 2013, 13(5): 6014 doi: 10.3390/s130506014
[2]	Fafard S, Proulx F, York M C A, et al. High-photovoltage GaAs vertical epitaxial monolithic heterostructures with 20 thin p/n junctions and a conversion efficiency of 60%. Appl Phys Lett, 2016, 109: 131107 doi: 10.1063/1.4964120
[3]	Singh N, Ho C K F, Leong Y N, et al. InAlGaAs/InP-based laser photovoltaic converter at ~1070 nm. IEEE Electron Device Lett, 2016, 37(9): 1154 doi: 10.1109/LED.2016.2591015
[4]	Schubert J, Oliva E, Dimroth F, et al. High-voltage GaAs photovoltaic laser power converters. IEEE Trans Electron Devices, 2009, 56: 170 doi: 10.1109/TED.2008.2010603
[5]	Shan T Q, Qi X L. Design and optimization of GaAs photovoltaic converter for laser power beaming. Infrared Phys Technol, 2015, 71: 144 doi: 10.1016/j.infrared.2015.03.010
[6]	Emelyanov V M, Mintairov S A, Sorokina S V, et al. Simulation of the Ohmic loss in photovoltaic laser-power converters for wavelengths of 809 nm and 1064 nm. Semiconductors, 2016, 50(1): 125 doi: 10.1134/S1063782616010085
[7]	Oliva E, Dimroth F, Bett A W. GaAs converters for high power densities of laser illumination. Prog Photovolt: Res Appl, 2008, 16: 289 doi: 10.1002/pip.v16:4
[8]	Khvostikov V P, Kalyuzhnyy N A, Mintairov S A, et al. Photovoltaic laser-power converter based on AlGaAs/GaAs heterostructures. Semiconductors, 2016, 50(9): 1220 doi: 10.1134/S1063782616090128
[9]	Masson D, Proulx F, Fafard S. Pushing the limits of concentrated photovoltaic solar cell tunnel junctions in novel high-efficiency GaAs phototransducers based on a vertical epitaxial heterostructure architecture. Prog Photovolt: Res Appl, 2015, 23(12): 1687 doi: 10.1002/pip.2709
[10]	Fave A, Kaminski A, Gavand M, et al. GaAs converter for high power laser diode. 25th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference (Washington, USA), 1996: 101
[11]	Olsen L C, Huber D A, Dunham G, et al. High efficiency monochromatic GaAs solar cells. 22th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference (Las Vegas, USA), 1991: 419
[12]	Singh P, Ravindra N M. Temperature dependence of solar cell performance—an analysis. Sol Energy Mater Sol Cells, 2012, 101(1): 36 doi: 10.1016/j.solmat.2012.02.019
[13]	Zhang H, Chen N F, Wang Y, et al. Design and optimization of a monolithic GaInP/GaInAs tandem solar cell. J Semicond, 2010, 31(8): 084009 doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/31/8/084009
[14]	Sun Y R, Dong J R, He Y, et al. A six-junction GaAs laser power converter with different sizes of active aperture. Optoelectron Lett, 2017, 13(1): 0021 doi: 10.1007/s11801-016-6193-8
[15]	Jung D, Parker C A, Ramdani J, et al. AlGaAs/GaInP heterojunction tunnel diode for cascade solar cell application. J Appl Phys, 1993, 74: 2090 doi: 10.1063/1.354753
[16]	Sharma P, Walker A W, Wheeldon J F, et al. Enhanced efficiencies for high-concentration, multijunction PV systems by optimizing grid spacing under nonuniform illumination. Int J Photoenergy, 2014, 2014: 582083 doi: 10.1155/2014/582083
[17]	Samberg J P, Carlin C Z, Bradshaw G K, et al. Effect of GaAs interfacial layer on the performance of high bandgap tunnel junction for multijunction solar cells. Appl Phys Lett, 2013, 103: 103503 doi: 10.1063/1.4819917
[18]	Katz E A, Gordon J M, Tassew W, et al. Photovoltaic characterization of convertor solar cells by localized irradiation. J Appl Phys, 2006, 100: 044514 doi: 10.1063/1.2266161
[19]	Zhao Y M, Sun Y R, He Y, et al. Design and fabrication of six-volt vertically-stacked GaAs photovoltaic power converter. Sci Rep, 2016, 6: 38044 doi: 10.1038/srep38044
[20]	Hirst L C, akes M K, Warner J H, et al. Intrinsic radiation tolerance of ultra-thin GaAs solar cells. Appl Phys Lett, 2016, 109: 033908 doi: 10.1063/1.4959784

Four-junction AlGaAs/GaAs laser power converter

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