Algirdas Mekys

Compact Light-Emitting Diode-Based AAA Class Solar Simulator: Design and Application Peculiarities

In this paper, we report on the efficient design of a light-emitting diode (LED)-based AAA class solar simulator, employing only 19 high-power emitters for a usable illuminated area of at least 5 cm in diameter with at least 1 sun irradiance. Such a low number of emitters was achieved by selectively employing secondary optics for several LED groups and taking advantage of wide emission angle for others. The so-called A class spectrum was also achieved for the larger area of more than 6 cm × 6 cm, covering zones with B and C class irradiance nonuniformity. Five distinct solar cell external quantum efficiency spectra were considered for theoretical evaluation of possible measurement peculiarities related to different solar cell technologies. These computer-generated spectra contained essential features, which is typical for high-efficiency crystalline and amorphous silicon, Cu(In,Ga)Se2, and Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 solar cell technologies. Significant photocurrent distribution nonuniformity change is predicted only for amorphous silicon cells due to a much narrower efficient absorption spectrum.

Excitation-dependent carrier lifetime and diffusion length in bulk CdTe determined by time-resolved optical pump-probe techniques

We applied time-resolved pump-probe spectroscopy based on free carrier absorption and light diffraction on a transient grating for direct measurements of the carrier lifetime and diffusion coefficient D in high-resistivity single crystal CdTe (codoped with In and Er). The bulk carrier lifetime τ decreased from 670 ± 50 ns to 60 ± 10 ns with increase of excess carrier density N from 1016 to 5 × 1018 cm−3 due to the excitation-dependent radiative recombination rate. In this N range, the carrier diffusion length dropped from 14 μm to 6 μm due to lifetime decrease. Modeling of in-depth (axial) and in-plane (lateral) carrier diffusion provided the value of surface recombination velocity S = 6 × 105 cm/s for the untreated surface. At even higher excitations, in the 1019–3 × 1020 cm−3 density range, D increase from 5 to 20 cm2/s due to carrier degeneracy was observed.

Impact of extended defects on Hall and magnetoresistivity effects in cubic silicon carbide

From magnetoresistivity effect measurements the carrier mobility at room- temperature is 200 cm2/Vs in heteroepitaxially grown 3C-SiC on 6H-SiC by sublimation epitaxy. The main scattering mechanism ...

Electrical Parameters of Bulk 3C-SiC Crystals Determined by Hall Effect, Magnetoresistivity, and Contactless Time-Resolved Optical Techniques

The electrical and optical techniques have been applied for investigation of carrier transport and recombination features in thick free-standing 3C-SiC layers. Temperature dependencies of Hall mobility, magneto-resistivity, and conductivity indicated presence of high potential barriers, up to 0.4 eV. The carrier mobilities and equilibrium densities were calculated in the barrier and inter-barrier regions. Contactless measurements of the excess carrier ambipolar mobility and lifetime at 1016-18 cm-3 injection levels revealed carrier scattering solely by phonons in 80 – 800 K range. A correlation between the temperature dependencies of carrier lifetime and ambipolar mobility pointed out that diffusion-limited surface recombination at extended defects contributes significantly to the carrier lifetime.

Compact hybrid solar simulator with the spectral match beyond class A

Abstract. A compact hybrid solar simulator with the spectral match beyond class A is proposed. Six types of high-power light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and tungsten halogen lamps in total were employed to obtain spectral match with <25% deviation from the standardized one in twelve spectral ranges between 400 and 1100 nm. All spectral ranges were twice as narrow than required by IEC 60904-9 Ed.2.0 and ASTM E927-10(2015) standards. Nonuniformity of the irradiance was evaluated and <2% deviation from the average value of the irradiance (corresponding to A class nonuniformity) can be obtained for the area of >3-cm diameter. A theoretical analysis was performed to evaluate possible performance of our simulator in the case of GaInP/GaAs/GaInAsP/GaInAs four-junction tandem solar cells and AM1.5D (ASTM G173-03 standard) spectrum. Lack of ultraviolet radiation in comparison to standard spectrum leads to 6.94% reduction of short-circuit current, which could be remedied with 137% increase of the output from blue LEDs. Excess of infrared radiation from halogen lamps outside ranges specified by standards is expected to lead to ∼0.77% voltage increase.

Polytype Inclusions in Cubic Silicon Carbide

The 3C-SiC layers on nominally on-axis 6H-SiC substrates were grown using sublimation epitaxy. More than 90% coverage by 3C-SiC is typically achieved at growth temperature of 1775°C. The main reason for the polytype inclusions to appear is local supersaturation non-uniformities over the sample surface which appear due to the temperature gradient and spiral growth nature of 6H-SiC. On the 6H-SiC spirals with small steps supersaturation is smaller and 3C-SiC nucleation and growth is diminished. Due to surface free energy and surface diffusion differences, polytype inclusions appear differently when 3C-SiC is grown on the Si- and C-faces. The 6H-SiC inclusions as well as twin boundaries act as neutral scattering centers and lower charge carrier mobility.