Current-voltage (I-V) characteristics together with spectral quantum efficiency (QE) measurements are performed on a GaAs control and GaInNAs/GaAs multi-quantum well (MQW) solar cell under illumination with the AM1.5G spectrum. Nitrogen and Indium composition in the GaInNAs wells were selected as to ensure lattice matching to GaAs. The wells are shown to extend the spectral response to longer wavelengths but also cause a reduction in the QE at wavelengths below the GaAs band gap. Furthermore, the addition of wells generally causes a large decrease in open circuit voltage due to the increased dark current. The MQW cell reaches an efficiency of 5% compared to 8.5% for the GaAs control cell.

Photocurrent oscillations, observed at low temperatures in lattice-matched Ga1−x In x N y As1−y /GaAs multiple quantum well (MQW) p-i-n samples, are investigated as a function of applied bias and excitation wavelength and are modelled with the aid of semiconductor simulation software. The oscillations appear only at low temperatures and have the highest amplitude when the optical excitation energy is in resonance with the GaInNAs bandgap. They are explained in terms of electron accumulation and the formation of high-field domains in the GaInNAs QWs as a result of the disparity between the photoexcited electron and hole escape rates from the QWs. The application of the external bias results in the motion of the high-field domain towards the anode where the excess charge dissipates from the well adjacent to anode via tunnelling.

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We used a semi-classical model to describe carrier capture into and thermionic escape from GaInNAs/GaAs multiple quantum wells (MQWs) situated within the intrinsic region of a GaAs p-i-n junction. The results are used to explain photocurrent oscillations with applied bias observed in these structures, in terms of charge accumulation and resonance tunnelling.

The low temperature photoluminescence under bias (PLb) and the photoconductivity (PC) of a p-i-n GaInNAs/GaAs multiple quantum well sample have been investigated. Under optical excitation with photons of energy greater than the GaAs bandgap, PC and PLb results show a number of step-like increases when the sample is reverse biased. The nature of these steps, which depends upon the temperature, exciting wavelength and intensity and the number of quantum wells (QWs) in the device, is explained in terms of thermionic emission and negative charge accumulation due to the low confinement of holes in GaInNAs QWs. At high temperature, thermal escape from the wells becomes much more dominant and the steps smear out.