Pulsed laser deposition of Al$_{x}$Ga$_{1-x}$As and GaP thin films onto Si substrates for photoelectric converters

Pulsed laser deposition is used to produce AlGaAs and GaP thin films (with a thickness of less than 1 $\mu$m) on Si substrates. Methods for reducing the number of structural defects in the films are analyzed, and the effect of strains upon AlGaAs/Si and GaP/Si heterostructures is established by Raman spectroscopy. The application of Al$_{0.3}$Ga$_{0.7}$As and GaP films as wide-gap windows of silicon photoelectric converters is examined. The spectral characteristics of photocells based on Al$_{0.3}$Ga$_{0.7}$As/Si and GaP/Si heterostructures are studied. The heterostructures can be used as the first $p$–$n$ junction of a Si-based multijunction photoelectric converter.