Sulfide passivation of a textured interface of a gallium arsenide surface-barrier photovoltaic cell

A comparative study is made of the influence of sulfide passivation in an aqueous Na2S . 9H(2)O solution on the photoconversion parameters of solar radiation in Au-GaAs barrier structures as a function of the character of the microrelief and the pretreatment of the GaAs surface. A quasigrating and a dendritic surface microrelief were produced by anisotropic chemical etching. It is shown that this type of GaAs surface treatment is potentially useful for enhancing the efficiency of a photovoltaic cell stored for several years. A possible mechanism is discussed for the processes leading to changes in the structure parameters. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S1063-7842(99)02806-8].