High-efficiency space and terrestrial multijunction solar cells through bandgap control in cell structures

King, Richard R.; Fetzer, C. M.; Colter, P. C.; Edmondson, K.; Ermer, J.; Cotal, H.; Yoon, Hyoseok; Stavrides, A.; Kinsey, Geoffrey S.; Krut, D.D.; Karam, N.H.

doi:10.1109/pvsc.2002.1190685

Cited by 46 publications

(30 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…This assumption is reasonable, as tunnel junctions with peak tunneling currents exceeding 600 A/cm 2 have been grown in similar multijunction devices. 19 …”

Section: Tandem Layer Structure and Materials Parametersmentioning

confidence: 99%

Design of a GaInP/GaAs tandem solar cell for maximum daily, monthly, and yearly energy output

et al. 2011

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Abstract. Solar concentrator cells are typically designed for maximum efficiency under the AM1.5d standard spectrum. While this methodology does allow for a direct comparison of cells produced by various laboratories, it does not guarantee maximum daily, monthly, or yearly energy production, as the relative distribution of spectral energy changes throughout the day and year. It has been suggested that achieving this goal requires designing under a nonstandard spectrum. In this work, a GaInP/GaAs tandem solar cell is designed for maximum energy production by optimizing for a set of geographically-dependent solar spectra using detailed numerical models. The optimization procedure focuses on finding the best combination of GaInP bandgap and GaInP and GaAs sub-cell absorber layer thicknesses. It is shown that optimizing for the AM1.5d standard spectrum produces nearly maximum yearly energy. This result simplifies the design of a dual-junction device considerably, is independent of the optical concentration up to at least 500 suns, and holds for a wide range of geographic locations. The simulation results are compared to those obtained using a more traditional, ideal-diode model.

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“…This assumption is reasonable, as tunnel junctions with peak tunneling currents exceeding 600 A/cm 2 have been grown in similar multijunction devices. 19 …”

Section: Tandem Layer Structure and Materials Parametersmentioning

confidence: 99%

Design of a GaInP/GaAs tandem solar cell for maximum daily, monthly, and yearly energy output

et al. 2011

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“…As an example, King et al reported a near doubling in at room-temperature as GaInP was ordered. 24 Such ordered GaInP nevertheless resulted in external quantum efficiencies exceeding 90% in solar cells, suggesting that ordering is not inherently detrimental as long as continues to be significantly faster than . The exact mechanism leading to a longer in ordered GaInP has not been established, but it is hypothesized to occur due to either a type-II band alignment 21,25,26 between ordered and disordered domains within the material or a piezoelectric field in the ordered domains.…”

Section: A Luminescence Away From Dislocationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Recombination activity of threading dislocations in GaInP influenced by growth temperature

Mukherjee

Reilly

Callahan

et al. 2018

Journal of Applied Physics

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Room-temperature non-radiative recombination is studied at single dislocations in Ga0.5In0.5P quantum wells grown on metamorphic templates using cathodoluminescence and electron channeling contrast imaging. An analysis of the light emission intensity profiles around single dislocations reveals that the average recombination strength of a dislocation decreases by a factor of four and seven as a result of decreasing the growth temperature of the GaInP quantum well from 725 to 675 and 625 °C respectively. This reduction occurs despite little change in the diffusion length, precluding the prospect of inducing carrier localization by ordering and phase separation in GaInP at lower growth temperatures. These observations are rationalized by the premise that point defects or impurities are largely responsible for the recombination activity of dislocations, and the extent of decoration of the dislocation core decreases with temperature. Preliminary evidence for the impact of the Burgers vector is also presented. The lowest growth temperature, however, negatively impacts light emission away from dislocations. Carrier recombination in the bulk and at dislocations need to be considered together for metamorphic devices, and this work can lead to new techniques to limit non-radiative recombination.2

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“…The EQE of these cells is well characterized and the effective wavelength range of operation is between 350nm and 1800nm [11], therefore it is in our interest to select SWG geometries that will produce the desired AR effects throughout this range. The fundamental constraint for SWG AR surfaces is that the grating must be unresolvable; it has been demonstrated that for oblique angles this requirement equates to Λ < λ/2n swg where n swg is the refractive index of the SWG bulk material [8].…”

Section: Swg Geometrymentioning

confidence: 99%

Increasing solar cell power production on micro and nano satellites using sub-wavelength gratings

Podmore

Lee

2015

2015 IEEE Aerospace Conference

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The application of 2-dimensional periodic arrays of sub-wavelength structures as anti-reflection surfaces at the interface between a vacuum and commercial solar cell coverglass is investigated. It is determined that compared to commercial anti-reflective coatings a single anti-reflective sub-wavelength grating will yield 3.7 to 7.1% total increase in power production during a 24 hour orbital period for a typical earth observing 3-U CubeSat. Sub-wavelength gratings are approximated as a many layered stack of thin films with refractive indices defined by their vertical position in the array and the grating fill factor at that position. The transmission of light between wavelengths of 350nm and 1800nm and incident angles 0-90 degrees is calculated by the transfer matrix method. The optimal periodicity, profile and height of the features for an antireflective sub-wavelength grating applied to a commercial triple junction solar cell in Air Mass 0 are explored by analysis of the transmission coefficient surfaces for various gratings, and two sub-wavelength grating surfaces are benchmarked against the performance of a MgF 2 thin film anti reflective coating, as well as uncoated cover glass. The AM0 solar spectrum is propagated through the transmission coefficients of the SWG surface as well as a model for the external quantum efficiency and heat loss of commercially available Triangular Advanced Solar Cells. The amount of light reaching the cells is then applied to the photo response of each sub cell to determine the expected increase in solar cell power production at incident angles from 0-90 degrees. The incident angles for solar panels mounted on 3-U CubeSats in typical earth observation orbits are determined and used to calculate the expected increase in average power production over orbit which is found to be between 3.7 and 7.1% of the total.

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High-efficiency space and terrestrial multijunction solar cells through bandgap control in cell structures

Cited by 46 publications

References 9 publications

Design of a GaInP/GaAs tandem solar cell for maximum daily, monthly, and yearly energy output

Design of a GaInP/GaAs tandem solar cell for maximum daily, monthly, and yearly energy output

Recombination activity of threading dislocations in GaInP influenced by growth temperature

Increasing solar cell power production on micro and nano satellites using sub-wavelength gratings

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