EFFECT OF ANNEALING AND OF COOLING RATES ON n-GaAs ELECTRODE PHOTOELECTROCHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS

• Published in: Active and Passive Electronic Components Vol. 2004; no. 2; pp. 69 - 80
• Main Authors: HILAL, Hikmat S, SALIH, Subhi K, SA'ADEDDIN, Iyad A, CAMPET, Guy
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Abingdon Hindawi Limiteds 01.06.2004; Taylor and Francis; Hindawi Publishing Corporation
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Chemical Sciences; Direct energy conversion and energy accumulation; Electrical engineering. Electrical power engineering; Electrical power engineering; Exact sciences and technology; Material chemistry; Photoelectric conversion; Rate of cooling; Dark current; Annealing; Photocurrent; n-GaAs; Performance evaluation; Gallium arsenides; Short circuit currents; Semiconductor materials; Voltage current curve; Cooling rate; Electrode material; Photoelectrochemical cell; Photoelectric current; GaAs
• ISSN: 0882-7516
• DOI: 10.1080/0882751031000116115

The effect of annealing of the n-GaAs semiconductor on its characteristics in photoelectrochemical (PEC) systems has been investigated. The photocurrent densities vs. potential plots were improved by annealing. Cell efficiency and short-circuit current densities were enhanced for the annealed n-GaAs. The effect of the rate of cooling of heated n-GaAs wafers was also investigated. It was found that the slowly cooled electrodes gave better dark current density vs. potential plots, for samples annealed below 600'C. For samples annealed at higher temperatures, quenching gave better dark-current density vs. potential plots. For n-GaAs, slowly cooled electrodes from temperatures below 600'C showed better photocurrent density vs. potential plots and higher efficiency. n-GaAs samples, quenched from temperatures above 700DGC, showed better photocurrent density vs. potential plots and higher efficiency than their slowly cooled counterparts.