Numerical Investigation of High-Efficiency InGaN-Based Multijunction Solar Cell

Abstract

A four-junction InGaN-based multijunction solar cell structure is proposed theoretically. The simulation results show that, with the use of appropriately designed compositional grading layers, the performance of InGaN-based multijunction solar cell can be maintained without the cost in performance degradation caused by the polarization-induced electric field and the potential barriers resulting from the heterointerfaces. After the optimization in thicknesses for current matching, a high conversion efficiency of 46.45% can be achieved under 1000-sun AM1.5D illumination, in which the short-circuit current density, open-circuit voltage, and fill factor are 12.2 × 10 3 mA/cm 2 , 4.18 V, and 0.77, respectively. The simulation results suggest that, in addition to the detrimental effects caused by the built-in electric polarization and potential barriers, the issue of crystalline quality is another critical factor influencing the performance of multijunction solar cells.

InGaN/GaN tunnel junctions for hole injection in GaN light emitting diodes

“…1,[4][5][6][7] In case of the polarization 1,[4][5][6][8][9][10][11] -1 x 10 -3 Ωcm 2 was reported. Realization of such low resistance GaN-based tunnel junctions has generated interest in tunnel junction enabled devices such as tunnel junction LEDs [12][13][14][15] , tunnel junction laser diodes 16 , and multi-junction solar cells 17,18 .…”

III-Nitride Nanowires: Future Prospective for Photovoltaic Applications

“…In the present context mainly different geometry of III-Nitride GaN/InGaN material based solar cell are considered, such as planar, nanodisk and nanowire types. Theoretically, it is anticipated that power conversion efficiency more than 40% could be achievable with GaN/InGaN junctions [19][20]. However, practically achievable efficiency is quite low [21][22].…”

Fabrication and characterization of back-side illuminated InGaN/GaN solar cells with periodic via-holes etching and Bragg mirror processes

“…Further progresses of the photovoltaic characteristics of back-side illuminated InGaN/GaN solar cells with the aforesaid optimized Bragg mirrors and Ni/Ag metal reflector are studied numerically with the APSYS advanced simulation program, which is widely used to give an insightful review in optoelectronic devices [25][26][27][28][29][30]. The simulator employs 6 × 6 k•p model developed for the strained wurtzite semiconductor by Chuang and Chang [31,32] to calculate the energy band structures, also the interactions between photons and carriers including absorptions, generations, recombinations, and transportations are taken into calculations.…”