Silicon-Germanium Alloys for Photovoltaic Applications

1st Edition - March 9, 2023
Authors: Ammar Nayfeh, Sabina Abdul Hadi
Language: English
Paperback ISBN:
9 7 8 - 0 - 3 2 3 - 8 5 6 3 0 - 0
eBook ISBN:
9 7 8 - 0 - 3 2 3 - 8 5 6 3 1 - 7

Silicon-Germanium Alloys for Photovoltaic Applications provides a comprehensive look at the use of Silicon-Germanium alloys Si1-xGex in photovoltaics. Different methods of Si1-xG… Read more

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Silicon-Germanium Alloys for Photovoltaic Applications provides a comprehensive look at the use of Silicon-Germanium alloys Si1-xGex in photovoltaics. Different methods of Si1-xGex alloy deposition are reviewed, including their optical and material properties as function of Ge% are summarized, with SiGe use in photovoltaic applications analyzed. Fabrication and characterization of single junction Si1-xGex solar cells on Si using a-Si as emitter is discussed, with a focus on the effect of different Ge%. Further, the book highlights the use Si1-xGex as a template for lattice matched deposition of III-V layers on Si, along with its challenges and benefits, including financial aspects.

Finally, fabrication and characterization of single junction GaAsxP1-x cells on Si via Si1-xGex is discussed, along with the simulation and modeling of graded SiGe layers and experimental model verification.

Cover image
Title page
Table of Contents
Copyright
Preface
Chapter 1. About the book
1.1. Book overview
Chapter 2. Motivation
2.1. Introduction
2.2. Climate change and global warming
2.3. Solar energy and photovoltaics
2.4. Why silicon–germanium in PV?
2.5. Summary
Chapter 3. Basics of solar cells
3.1. The photovoltaic effect
3.2. Solar energy
3.3. PV solar cells and solar power generation
3.4. Light management for PV solar cells
3.5. Concentrated solar PV
3.6. Nanotechnology in PV solar cells
3.7. Summary
Chapter 4. Si1–xGex deposition and properties
4.1. Challenge
4.2. Growth methods
4.3. Deposition techniques
4.4. Si1−xGex growth solutions
4.5. Optical properties of Si1−xGex
4.6. Conclusion
Chapter 5. History of c-Si1−xGex solar cells
5.1. Introduction
5.2. Research history of c-Si1−xGex based solar cells
5.3. Research history of single crystal c-Si1−xGex
5.4. c-Si1−xGex HIT solar cell
5.5. Summary
Chapter 6. Lattice matched III–V materials on Si via Si1−xGex buffer layer
6.1. Introduction
6.2. Lattice mismatch and threading dislocation density
6.3. Optical and electrical properties of GaAs1−yPy deposited on Si1−xGex
6.4. III–V on Si MJ solar cells via Si1−xGex buffer in literature
6.5. Conclusion
Chapter 7. Modeling and simulations of Si1-x Gex based solar cells
7.1. Introduction
7.2. Overview of synopsys TCAD tools
7.3. Si1−xGex single-junction cells
7.4. GaAs0.76P0.24/Si1−xGex/Si single-junction solar cells
7.5. Effect of Si1−xGex graded buffer on bottom Si cell
7.6. Simulation of GaAs0.71P0.29/Si dual-junction step-cell: monolithic and bonded structures
7.7. Other simulations for bonded III-V//Si dual-junction solar cells
7.8. Conclusion
Chapter 8. Cost benefits of Si1−xGex for III-V growth
8.1. Solar PV cost considerations
8.2. Multi-junction solar cells cost considerations
8.3. Cost analysis
8.4. Conclusion
Chapter 9. Other applications of Si1−xGex
9.1. Introduction
9.2. Si1−xGex in transistor technology
9.3. SiGe for infrared photodetection
9.4. III–V integration using SiGe template
9.5. SiGe in nanotechnology
9.6. Summary
Index

Ammar Nayfeh

Professor Ammar Nayfeh was born in Urbana IL in 1979. He received his bachelor's degree from the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign in 2001 in electrical engineering and his master's degree in 2003 from Stanford University. Dr. Nayfeh earned a Ph.D. in electrical engineering from Stanford University in 2006. His research focused on heteroepitaxy of germanium on silicon for electronic and photonic devices. After his PhD, he joined Advanced Micro Devices as a researcher working in collaboration with IBM. After that he joined a silicon valley startup company, Innovative Silicon (ISi) in 2008. In addition, he was a part time professor at San Jose State University. In June 2010, he joined MIT as a visiting scholar and became a faculty member at the Masdar Institute currently Khalifa University. His research interest focuses on nanotechnology for future more efficient low power electronic and photonic devices. Professor Nayfeh is currently an associate professor in the Department Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) at Khalifa University. Professor Ammar Nayfeh has authored or co-authored over 100 publications, and holds three patents. He is a member of IEEE, MRS and Stanford Alumni Association. He has received the Material Research Society Graduate Student Award, the Robert C. Maclinche Scholarship at UIUC, and Stanford Graduate Fellowship.

Affiliations and expertise

Professor, Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Sabina Abdul Hadi

Dr. Sabina Abdul Hadi received her B.Sc. and M.Sc. Degrees in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from Eastern Mediterranean University, North Cyprus, and received an M.Sc. degree in Microsystems Engineering and PhD degree in Interdisciplinary Engineering from Masdar Institute (currently Khalifa University), Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Her PhD work focused on modeling and fabrication of low-cost III-V on Si multi-junction solar cells. Later, Dr. Abdul Hadi worked as a postdoctoral fellow at Khalifa University of Science and Technology on memristor based sensing applications. Dr. Abdul Hadi is currently working as an Assistant Professor at Electrical Engineering Departmentt, University of Dubai, Dubai, UAE She has co-authored more than 25 conference proceedings and scientific papers in ranked journals and international conferences. Her research interests include semiconductor physics, device modeling and fabrication, thin films and anti-reflective coating materials, emerging PV technologies, device characterization, among others.

Affiliations and expertise

Assistant Professor, University of Dubai, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

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