JPS6317568A - Photovoltaic semiconductor element - Google Patents
Photovoltaic semiconductor elementInfo
- Publication number
- JPS6317568A JPS6317568A JP61162840A JP16284086A JPS6317568A JP S6317568 A JPS6317568 A JP S6317568A JP 61162840 A JP61162840 A JP 61162840A JP 16284086 A JP16284086 A JP 16284086A JP S6317568 A JPS6317568 A JP S6317568A
- Authority
- JP
- Japan
- Prior art keywords
- mixed crystal
- maintained
- semiconductor
- photovoltaic
- center
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Pending
Links
- 239000004065 semiconductor Substances 0.000 title claims abstract description 16
- 239000013078 crystal Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 29
- 150000001875 compounds Chemical class 0.000 claims abstract description 6
- IJGRMHOSHXDMSA-UHFFFAOYSA-N Atomic nitrogen Chemical compound N#N IJGRMHOSHXDMSA-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 abstract description 4
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 abstract description 2
- 229910052757 nitrogen Inorganic materials 0.000 abstract description 2
- 239000007788 liquid Substances 0.000 abstract 1
- 230000000694 effects Effects 0.000 description 6
- 238000010586 diagram Methods 0.000 description 3
- 239000000969 carrier Substances 0.000 description 2
- 230000008020 evaporation Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000001704 evaporation Methods 0.000 description 2
- 239000012535 impurity Substances 0.000 description 2
- 238000001451 molecular beam epitaxy Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000004913 activation Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000005284 excitation Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000007789 gas Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000001678 irradiating effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 description 1
- 150000002736 metal compounds Chemical class 0.000 description 1
- 238000002488 metal-organic chemical vapour deposition Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000000737 periodic effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000002085 persistent effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000000717 retained effect Effects 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y02E10/00—Energy generation through renewable energy sources
- Y02E10/50—Photovoltaic [PV] energy
- Y02E10/544—Solar cells from Group III-V materials
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y02E10/00—Energy generation through renewable energy sources
- Y02E10/50—Photovoltaic [PV] energy
- Y02E10/549—Organic PV cells
Landscapes
- Photovoltaic Devices (AREA)
Abstract
Description
本発明は、周期律表ｍ−ｖ族化合物半導体混晶における
永続的光伝導性を利用した半導体光起電力素子に関する
。The present invention relates to a semiconductor photovoltaic device that utilizes the permanent photoconductivity of compound semiconductor mixed crystals of group m-v of the periodic table.
例えば小川により雑誌「応用物理」第５４巻（昭６０年
） １１７６〜１１８２ページに解説されているように
、ＡＩにａＪ３中にｎ型不純物を添加するとＤＸセンタ
ーと呼ばれる深い準位が形成される。低温でこのＤＸセ
ンターを光励起して得られる光伝導は、光を切うても減
衰しない、この現象は永続的光伝導性（Ｐ Ｐ Ｃ）と
呼ばれ、ラング（Ｄ、 Ｖ、 Ｌａｎｇ）らにより雑誌
［フィジカルレビューＪ （ＰｈｙｓｉｃａｌＲｅｖｉ
ｅｉｅ） Ｂ １９ （１９７９年）１０１５ページ
に提示されている第２図に示すような配位座標モデルが
考えられる０図の横軸はＤＸセンター周辺の原子配置が
ひずんだ場合の格子緩和量に対応しており、曲線２１は
電子が伝導帯底にいる場合の全系のエネルギー、曲ｍ２
２は電子がＤＸセンターにとらえられている場合の全系
のエネルギーで、格子をひずませた位置でエネルギーは
最小になる。ＤＸセンターにある位ＷｔＡの電子が光２
３により励起されると８に移り、伝導帯の最小エネルギ
ー位置Ｃに移動する６位ＷＩＣにある電子がＤＸにもど
る、すなわち再結合するにはＯＤＡというポテンシアル
の山を越えねばならず、このボテンシフルに相当する熱
エネルギー以下の温度では再結合せず、電子は伝導度に
残る。Ａ７ＧａＡｓでは、ＣＤ間のエネルギーは０．１
８ｅＶ程度であり、 ｋＴ＝０．１８からこの温度は２
００に程度になる。
このようなＰＰＣ現象は、格子歪を伴い、しかも伝導帯
のキャリア濃度を支配する程度の高濃度な準位が存在す
る材料であれば起こる。このＰＰＣ効果により、ＨＥＭ
Ｔ等の低温で動作する高速トランジスタのしきい値が光
照射により変化し、デバイス動作上問題となっている。
さらに、ＤＸセンターが混晶のバンド構造に起因した本
質的なものであることが明らかになっており、混晶のデ
バイス応用に大きな制約が加わりつつある。For example, as explained by Ogawa in the magazine "Applied Physics" Vol. 54 (1986), pages 1176-1182, when n-type impurities are added to aJ3 in AI, a deep level called a DX center is formed. . The photoconduction obtained by photoexciting this DX center at low temperatures does not attenuate even when the light is turned off. This phenomenon is called persistent photoconductivity (PPC), and Lang (D, V, Lang) et al. Magazine [Physical Review J (PhysicalRevi
eie) B 19 (1979) A coordination coordinate model as shown in Figure 2 presented on page 1015 can be considered. The horizontal axis of Figure 0 represents the amount of lattice relaxation when the atomic arrangement around the DX center is distorted. The curve 21 corresponds to the energy of the entire system when the electron is at the bottom of the conduction band, and the curve m2
2 is the energy of the entire system when electrons are captured in the DX center, and the energy is minimum at the position where the lattice is distorted. The electrons of WtA in the DX center are light 2
When excited by 3, it moves to 8 and moves to the minimum energy position C of the conduction band. In order for the electron in the 6th position WIC to return to DX, that is, to recombine, it must cross the potential mountain called ODA, and this potentiometric At temperatures below the thermal energy corresponding to , they do not recombine and the electrons remain conductive. In A7GaAs, the energy between CDs is 0.1
It is about 8eV, and since kT=0.18, this temperature is 2
It will be around 00. Such a PPC phenomenon occurs if the material is accompanied by lattice distortion and has a highly concentrated level that controls the carrier concentration in the conduction band. Due to this PPC effect, HEM
The threshold value of high-speed transistors such as T, which operate at low temperatures, changes due to light irradiation, which poses a problem in device operation. Furthermore, it has become clear that the DX center is an essential element caused by the band structure of the mixed crystal, and this is placing significant restrictions on the device application of the mixed crystal.
本発明・は、以上のように従来ｍ−ｖ族化合物半導体混
晶デバイスにおいて問題となっていた、ＰＰＣ効果を逆
に利用したデバイスを提供することを目的とする。An object of the present invention is to provide a device that reversely utilizes the PPC effect, which has been a problem in conventional m-v group compound semiconductor mixed crystal devices as described above.
本発明は、ｎ型のｍ−ｖ族化合物半導体混晶からなり、
混晶組成比が一面から他面にかけてＤＸセンターの実質
的に無い組成比からＤＸセンターの存在する組成比へ連
続的に変化し、両面に電極を備えた半導体素体を所定の
温度以下に保持するもので、ＤＸセンターに基づ＜ ｐ
ｐｃ効果の有無による１を荷分布を素体内に発生させ、
接合形成なしに光によって励起することにより起電力を
生ずる光起電力素子を得ることができる。その際の照射
光はバンドギャップ以下のエネルギーをもつ赤外光で十
分である。The present invention consists of an n-type m-v group compound semiconductor mixed crystal,
The mixed crystal composition ratio changes continuously from one side to the other side from a composition ratio with virtually no DX centers to a composition ratio with DX centers, and the semiconductor element with electrodes on both sides is maintained at a predetermined temperature or below. Based on the DX Center < p
A load distribution of 1 depending on the presence or absence of the PC effect is generated within the element body,
It is possible to obtain a photovoltaic element that generates an electromotive force by being excited by light without forming a junction. In this case, infrared light with energy below the band gap is sufficient.
第１図は本発明の一実施例を示し、ｎ型の■−■族化合
物半導体混晶の膜ｌは両面にオーミック電極２１．２２
が被着され、両電極は増幅器３を介して端子４１．４２
に接続されている。混晶膜１をＡＺＡｓとＧａＡｓの混
晶のｎ型のＡ７．ｌＧａ、−１ｌＡｓにより形成すると
きは、その組成は第３図のようにされ、電極２１が被着
される側ではｘ−０，５，すなわちｋｌＧＢＡ５ｚに、
電８に２２が被着される側ではｘ＝０．すなわち純Ｇａ
Ａｓになっている。 Ａ７ Ｗ Ｇａ１−ヨ＾３と組成
比Ｘとドナーの活性化エネルギーＥ、の関係は第４図に
示す通りで、ｘ＞０．２でドナー準位が急激に深くなり
、ｘ＝０．４付近で最大の１５（１ｗｅＶになる。従っ
て、Ｍ組成比Ｘが０．２の点Ｐ付近がＰＰＣ現象の有無
の境界となる。すなわち、電極２１側の面から全体の３
１５まではＰＰＣ効果が起こり、残りのＰＰＣ効果が起
こらないことになる。前者を領域１１、後者を領域１２
とすると、領域１１では、励起キャリア （１１子）は
伝導帯に残り、領域１２では再結合して平衡杖態となる
。従ってキャリア濃度分布が生じ、しかも全うＦ域で組
成変化が連続的なことよりエネルギーバンドも連続的に
変化しており、領域１１より１２へキャリアが拡散し、
領域１１は１２に対し正の電荷をもち、起電力が発生す
ることになる０例えば、領域１１．１２でのキャリア濃
度比が１０” ／ １０目＝ １０’程度と仮定すると
、５０＋Ｖ程度の起電力が発生する。第１図に示すよう
に、混晶膜ｌを容器５の中に入れ、混晶がＡＩ、ＱＢ、
−ウＡｓの場合環窒素などを用いて暗中で２００に以下
の低温に保ち、光６を照射すれば、電極２１．２２間に
起電力が生じ、混晶膜１が低温に維持される限りこの起
電力は半永久的なものであって、必要な時に何時でも端
子４１．４２から取り出すことができる。この起電力は
、例えば電極２１の側にのみｎ型不純物をドープするこ
とによっても高めることができる。
第３図に示すように連続して変化する組成比を有する半
導体混晶は、分子線ビームエピタキシー（ＭＢＥ）にお
いて元素毎の蒸発量を制御することにより、あるいはト
リメチルアルミニウムやトリメチルガリウムのような有
機金属化合物を用いたＭＯＣＶＤ法においてマスフロー
コントローラの設定を連続的に変化させてガス流量を制
御することにより容易に形成できる。
本発明に基づく半導体光起電力素子は、例えば次のよう
に用いることができる。
１１１低温温度センサ
例えばＡＪＧａＡｓ混晶を用いた素子では２００に以下
で光を照射した素子が２００に以上に温度が上がったと
き起電力がなくなることを利用して温度を検知する。
（２）赤外線センサ
光励起するのには第２図においてＡＢ間のエネルギーが
必要である。このエネルギーはＡＩＧａＡＳでは、ΔＥ
□−０，８５ｅＶで１．４６−の波長の赤外線に対応し
、１．４６−以下の波長の光の検出器として利用できる
。
（３）光センサ
光励起した素子に、第１図の電極２２側の対向面から光
を入射させるとキャリア分布が変化し、起電力が変化す
る。この起電力の変化は入射光の波長に依存するので光
の波長を検知できる。
（４）メモリー素子
低温に保持された素子に光を照射して励起することによ
り書込みを行い、半永久的に保持される起電力を取出す
ことにより読出しを行う。
（５）宇宙空間用電源
低温の宇宙空間において、１回の光照射後光の当たらな
い所に置いても何時でも電源として利用できる。
なお、本発明による素子は光照射を励起後連続的に行っ
ても動作は変わらない。FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention, in which a film l of an n-type ■-■ group compound semiconductor mixed crystal has ohmic electrodes 21 and 22 on both sides.
are deposited, and both electrodes are connected to terminals 41 and 42 via amplifier 3.
It is connected to the. The mixed crystal film 1 is made of n-type A7. When it is formed of lGa, -1lAs, its composition is as shown in FIG. 3, and on the side where the electrode 21 is deposited,
On the side where 22 is attached to electrode 8, x=0. That is, pure Ga
It has become As. The relationship between A7 W Ga1-yo^3, composition ratio The maximum value is 15 (1 weV) in the vicinity. Therefore, the vicinity of point P where the M composition ratio
The PPC effect occurs up to 15, and the remaining PPC effects do not occur. The former is area 11, the latter is area 12
Then, in region 11, the excited carriers (11 atoms) remain in the conduction band, and in region 12, they recombine to form a balanced rod state. Therefore, a carrier concentration distribution occurs, and since the composition changes continuously in the entire F region, the energy band also changes continuously, and carriers diffuse from region 11 to region 12.
Region 11 has a positive charge compared to region 12, and an electromotive force is generated. For example, assuming that the carrier concentration ratio in region 11.12 is about 10"/10th = 10', an electromotive force of about 50+V is generated. Electric power is generated.As shown in FIG.
- In the case of As, if the temperature is maintained at a low temperature below 200 °C in the dark using ring nitrogen, etc., and irradiated with light 6, an electromotive force will be generated between the electrodes 21 and 22, as long as the mixed crystal film 1 is maintained at a low temperature. This electromotive force is semi-permanent and can be taken out from the terminals 41 and 42 whenever necessary. This electromotive force can also be increased, for example, by doping only the electrode 21 side with an n-type impurity. As shown in Figure 3, semiconductor mixed crystals with continuously changing composition ratios can be produced by controlling the amount of evaporation of each element in molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), or by controlling the amount of evaporation of each element in molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), or by It can be easily formed by continuously changing the settings of a mass flow controller to control the gas flow rate in the MOCVD method using a metal compound. The semiconductor photovoltaic device based on the present invention can be used, for example, as follows. 111 Low Temperature Sensor For example, in an element using AJGaAs mixed crystal, temperature is detected by utilizing the fact that an element irradiated with light below 200°C loses electromotive force when the temperature rises above 200°C. (2) Energy between AB in FIG. 2 is required to excite the infrared sensor light. In AIGaAS, this energy is ΔE
It corresponds to infrared rays of 1.46- wavelength at -0.85 eV, and can be used as a detector for light with wavelengths of 1.46- or less. (3) Photosensor When light is incident on the optically excited element from the opposing surface on the electrode 22 side in FIG. 1, the carrier distribution changes and the electromotive force changes. Since this change in electromotive force depends on the wavelength of the incident light, the wavelength of the light can be detected. (4) Memory element Writing is performed by irradiating the element held at a low temperature to excite it, and reading is performed by extracting the electromotive force that is retained semi-permanently. (5) Power supply for outer space In the low temperature of outer space, it can be used as a power supply at any time even if it is placed in a place that is not exposed to light after one light irradiation. Note that the operation of the device according to the present invention does not change even if light irradiation is performed continuously after excitation.
本発明によれば、混晶の中にＰＰＣ現象の有る領域から
無い領域への連続的な組成比の変化を形成することによ
り、所定の温度以下の低温に保持された混晶素体へ光を
入射することによって起電力が発生し、その温度で半永
久的に動作させることができ、従来混晶の欠点とされて
いたＤＸセンターの性質を利用したデバイスとして応用
の拡大が予想でき、その持つ意義は極めて大きい。According to the present invention, by forming a continuous change in the composition ratio from a region where PPC phenomenon occurs to a region where there is no PPC phenomenon in the mixed crystal, light is transmitted to the mixed crystal element body maintained at a low temperature below a predetermined temperature. An electromotive force is generated by injecting the crystal, and it can be operated semi-permanently at that temperature.It is expected that its application will expand as a device that takes advantage of the properties of the DX center, which was traditionally considered a drawback of mixed crystals. The significance is extremely large.
第１図は本発明の実施例の素子の使用状態を示す断面図
、第２図はデバイス配位座標モデル図、第３図は本発明
の一実施例の混晶膜の組成分布図、第４図はｋｌＧＢ１
４３混晶のドナー活性化エネルギーと組成比の関係線図
である。
１：混晶膜、２１，２２：電極、５：低温容器、第１図
すｈ己イ丁ｒ１拍４標
第２図
第３図FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing the state of use of an element according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a device coordination coordinate model diagram, and FIG. 3 is a composition distribution diagram of a mixed crystal film according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 shows klGB1
FIG. 4 is a relationship diagram between donor activation energy and composition ratio of a No. 43 mixed crystal. 1: Mixed crystal film, 21, 22: Electrode, 5: Low-temperature container, Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3
Claims (1)
組成比が一面から他面にかけてＤＸセンターの実質的に
無い組成比からＤＸセンターの存在する組成比へ連続的
に変化し、両面にオーム接触をする電極を備えた半導体
素体が所定の温度以下に保持されたことを特徴とする半
導体光起電力素子。 ２）特許請求の範囲第１項記載の素子において、混晶が
Ａｌ＿ｘＧａ＿１＿−＿ｘＡｓの組成を有し、ｘが０．
４以上から０．２未満へ連続的に変化し、ｘが大きい側
の電極面が光入力面であり、保持温度が２００Ｋ以下で
あることを特徴とする半導体光起電力素子。[Claims] 1) Consisting of an n-type III-V group compound semiconductor mixed crystal, the mixed crystal composition ratio changes from a composition ratio with substantially no DX center to a composition ratio with a DX center present from one side to the other side. 1. A semiconductor photovoltaic device, characterized in that a semiconductor body is provided with electrodes that change continuously and make ohmic contact on both sides, and is maintained at a predetermined temperature or lower. 2) In the device according to claim 1, the mixed crystal has a composition of Al_xGa_1_-_xAs, and x is 0.
1. A semiconductor photovoltaic device characterized in that x changes continuously from 4 or more to less than 0.2, the electrode surface on the side where x is larger is a light input surface, and the holding temperature is 200K or less.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| JP61162840A JPS6317568A (en) | 1986-07-10 | 1986-07-10 | Photovoltaic semiconductor element |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| JP61162840A JPS6317568A (en) | 1986-07-10 | 1986-07-10 | Photovoltaic semiconductor element |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| JPS6317568A true JPS6317568A (en) | 1988-01-25 |
Family
ID=15762243
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| JP61162840A Pending JPS6317568A (en) | 1986-07-10 | 1986-07-10 | Photovoltaic semiconductor element |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| JP (1) | JPS6317568A (en) |
Cited By (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JPH07235188A (en) * | 1993-12-28 | 1995-09-05 | Nec Corp | Optical memory using impurity level in semiconductor fine particles |
| JP2013046000A (en) * | 2011-08-26 | 2013-03-04 | Toyota Motor Corp | Quantum dot array material and photoelectric conversion element and wavelength conversion element using the same |
-
1986
- 1986-07-10 JP JP61162840A patent/JPS6317568A/en active Pending
Cited By (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JPH07235188A (en) * | 1993-12-28 | 1995-09-05 | Nec Corp | Optical memory using impurity level in semiconductor fine particles |
| JP2013046000A (en) * | 2011-08-26 | 2013-03-04 | Toyota Motor Corp | Quantum dot array material and photoelectric conversion element and wavelength conversion element using the same |
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