The GaAs solar cells with V-grooved emitters

Geometrically structured surfaces have become increasingly important to solar cell efficiency improvements and radiation tolerance. Gallium arsenide solar cells with a V-grooved front surface which demonstrate improved optical coupling and higher short-circuit current compared to planar cells were fabricated. GaAs homojunction cells were fabricated by organometallic chemical vapor deposition (OMCVD) on an n+ substrate. The V-grooves were formed on the surface with an anisotropic etch, and an n-type buffer and p-type emitter were grown by OMCVD, followed by ohmic contacts. Reflectivity measurements show significantly lower reflectance for the microgrooved cell compared to the planar structure. The short circuit current of the V-grooved solar cell is consistently higher than that of the planar controls.