Published online by Cambridge University Press: 15 February 2011
The characterization of MOCVD-grown GaAs-AlGaAs materials and GaAs p+n junctions on poly-Ge substrates is presented. Minority carrier lifetime in GaAs-AIGaAs double-hetero (DH) structures grown on these substrates and the variation of lifetimes across different grainstructures are discussed. Minority-carrier diffusion lengths in polycrystalline GaAs p+-n junctions were evaluated by cross-sectional electron-beam induced current (EBIC) scans. The junctions were also studied by plan-view EBIC imaging. Optimization studies of GaAs solar cell on poly-Ge are discussed briefly. The effect of various polycrystalline substrate-induced defects on performance of GaAs solar cells are presented.