Liquid-phase epitaxy of low-bandgap III-V antimonides for thermophotovoltaic devices

Liquid-phase epitaxial (LPE) growth of low-bandgap III-V antimonides is dev eloped for thermophotovoltaic and other optoelectronic device applications. Epitaxial layers of AlGaAsSb, InGaAsSb, and InAsSbP, with thicknesses up t o 200 mu m, can be grown in a single LPE step. TPV devices based on InAsSbP extend the spectral response to a wavelength of 3500 nm. These single-epil ayer structures are compatible with post-growth zinc diffusion processes th at produce high-performance TPV devices. Thick epitaxial layers are also co nducive for epilayer film transfer to surrogate substrates and subsequent r emoval of the GaSb and InAs seeding substrate. An insulating surrogate subs trate facilitates isolation schemes for monolithic series-interconnected TP V arrays, and a reflective substrate acting as a backside mirror is used to effect photon recycling. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserve d.