Indium aluminum nitride: A review on growth, properties, and applications in photovoltaic solar cells

Abstract

InAlN semiconductor alloy is a promising option for the fabrication of optoelectronic devices, such as high efficiency solar cells, due to its wide variable bandgap, from 0.64 eV to 6.2 eV. Traditionally, the production of high quality InAlN has been achieved by techniques such as MBE (Molecular Beam Epitaxy) and MOCVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition), which are complex and require high energy consumption. In contrast, sputtering is presented as a simpler, cheaper, and more industrially scalable technique, allowing the production of InAlN thin films with good structural quality. This study investigates the physical properties of InAlN layers to evaluate their potential in photovoltaic applications. Recent advances and challenges in the use of InAlN as an absorber layer in solar cells are discussed. In addition, critical parameters of the sputtering process, including target power, working pressure, gas flow ratio, substrate temperature, source type and number of cathodes and their influence on material properties are explored. These conditions are discussed along with their impact on the quality of InAlN thin films to enhance their application in photovoltaics and other emerging technology areas.

Keywords

• InxAl1-xN
• Magnetron sputtering
• Optical properties
• Structural properties
• Electrical properties
• Solar cells