Direct-current magnetron fabrication of indium tin oxide/InP solar cells

Efficient solar cells of indium tin oxide (ITO)/InP have been fabricated using dc magnetron deposition of the ITO into single-crystal InP substrates. Efficiencies of over 16.5 percent have been achieved, the highest ever recorded for devices of this construction. The results of studies of the annealing behavior of the cells and observations of interfacial changes using Raman spectroscopy and secondary ion mass spectroscopy, together with measurements of light and dark current/voltage and quantum efficiency characteristics, are used to model the behavior of the cells and explain their lack of sensitivity to fabrication conditions.