Patent ID: 9716196
Date: 2017-07-25
CPC Classifications: H01L,Y02E,Y02P

Claim:
1. A method for forming a gallium arsenide based photovoltaic device, the method comprising: providing a semiconductor structure, the semiconductor structure including a base layer comprising gallium arsenide and configured to absorb photons to convert light energy into electrical energy at the photovoltaic device; and wherein providing the semiconductor structure includes forming an emitter layer in the semiconductor structure, the emitter layer being made of a different material than the base layer and having a higher bandgap than the base layer, wherein providing the semiconductor structure includes forming an intermediate layer between the base layer and the emitter layer, the intermediate layer having the same doping type as the base layer and including the different material of the emitter layer, a heterojunction being formed at an interface of the base layer and the intermediate layer, and wherein a p-n junction of the semiconductor structure is formed at an interface of the emitter layer and the intermediate layer and is offset from the heterojunction such that under reverse-bias conditions in the resulting photovoltaic device the p-n junction provides a bypass function using a Zener breakdown effect that breaks down in a controlled manner.