JPS5577181A - Preparation of solar cell - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To obtain GaAs layer on Si substrate, by using Si substrate instead of expensive GaAs substrate and forming GaAs epitaxial layer on the substrate.

CONSTITUTION: An insulating film 15, such as SiO₂, etc., is formed on a non-solar- forming section, in which a net-like solar-cell-forming section 18 is excluded, on an Si wafer 11. Widths c and c' of the film 15 and sizes a and b of the forming section 18 are to be decided depending on the applications (or purposes). When an epitaxial layer is grown by molecular beam epitaxial method, while all the layers of p⁺-GaAs 10', p-GaAs 2', n⁺-GaAs 3', n⁺-AlXGa_1-X As 4' are grown on the section 18, an insulating GaAs layer 20 and an insulating Al_xGa_1-xAs layer 21 are grown in amorphous state on the film 15. After providing a prescribed ohmic electrode, when K∼m are cut and separated, a solar cell, whose operating region's side surface is covered with insulating layers 20 and 21, is obtained. Further, the layers 20 and 21 can be very simply etched by using etching liquid of GaAs or AlAs.

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