Determination of band-gap narrowing in heavily doped n-type GaAs and n-type GaInP from solar cell performance

Abstract

Band-gap narrowing (BGN) is determined in heavily doped n-type GaAs and n-type Ga/sub 0.5/In/sub 0.5/P from experimental pn junction solar cell performance. A BGN of 82 meV and of 17 meV is determined in GaAs with an n-type doping concentration of 2/spl times/10/sup 18//cm/sup 3/ and 10/sup 17//cm/sup 3/, respectively, and an average 95 meV BGN is determined in Ga/sub 0.5/In/sub 0.5/P with an n-type doping concentration of 3/spl times/10/sup 18//cm/sup 3/. These values agree well with theoretical predictions of a recent model applied to n-type GaAs and adapted here for Ga/sub 0.5/In/sub 0.5/P.