Improved Schottky barrier solar cells

Schottky barrier (SB) solar cells have been fabricated for solar energy conversion using GaAs and GaAs 0.78P0.22. Conversion efficiencies of 9% for air mass zero and 12% for terrestrial sun were observed for antireflection coated GaAs0.78P0.22 SB cells. The corresponding efficiencies for GaAs SB cells were 7% and 10%, respectively. These efficiencies are for cells with no interfacial layer effect. The short circuit current density for GaAs SB cells has been improved. The use of an ellipsometer to determine the optimum antireflection coating parameters is illustrated.