Printing-based assembly of quadruple-junction four-terminal microscale solar cells and their use in high-efficiency modules

Sheng, Xing; Bower, Christopher A.; Bonafede, Salvatore; Wilson, John W.; Fisher, Brent; Meitl, Matthew A.; Yuen, H. B.; Wang, Shuodao; Shen, Ling; Banks, Anthony; Corcoran, Christopher J.; Nuzzo, Ralph G.; Burroughs, Scott; Li, Jinghua

doi:10.1038/nmat3946

Cited by 144 publications

(83 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…High-efficiency microcells are now fabricated economically in releasable, multilayer stacks and transfer printing has been demonstrated to pattern and connect them with sub-micrometre precision and high yield over large (Gen 2.5) areas 11,21 . Recent cost analysis 23 and commercial success 24 for microcell CPV systems support the potential of this manufacturing approach to be cost-competitive in the photovoltaic marketplace.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Wide-angle planar microtracking for quasi-static microcell concentrating photovoltaics

Price

Sheng

Meulblok³

et al. 2015

Nat Commun

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Concentrating photovoltaics offer a way to lower the cost of solar power. However, the existing paradigm based on precise orientation of large-area concentrator modules towards the Sun limits their deployment to large, open land areas. Here, we explore an alternate approach using high-efficiency microcell photovoltaics embedded between a pair of plastic lenslet arrays to demonstrate quasi-static concentrating photovoltaic panels o1 cm thick that accomplish full-day tracking with 4200x flux concentration ratio through small (o1 cm) lateral translation at fixed latitude tilt. Per unit of installed land area, cosine projection loss for fixed microtracking concentrating photovoltaic panels is ultimately offset by improved ground coverage relative to their conventional dual-axis counterparts, enabling a B1.9x increase in daily energy output that may open up a new opportunity for compact, high-efficiency concentrating photovoltaics to be installed on rooftops and other limited-space urban environments.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Wide-angle planar microtracking for quasi-static microcell concentrating photovoltaics

Price

Sheng

Meulblok³

et al. 2015

Nat Commun

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“…For comparison, Sheng et al [10] reported a GaInP/GaAs/GaInAsNSb//Ge mechanical stack that was fabricated by a transfer printing technique, with a cumulative four-terminal 1 -sun efficiency of 32.9% and a peak concentrator efficiency of 43.9% at 1000 suns. The printing technique relies in part on an index-matched As2Se3 layer to maximize the optical transmission between the components, without enabling any enhanced photon recycling in the upper cells.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…1, and additional ZnS intermediateindex dielectric films on either side of the epoxy maximize the transmission of normal-incidence subbandgap light. Mechanical stacks have several other attractive features and have recently been demonstrated in different forms by several groups [10]- [13]. Because the subcells are grown separately, the problems associated with lattice-mismatch [14] and thermal-expansion mismatch are nearly eliminated.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Optically Enhanced Photon Recycling in Mechanically Stacked Multijunction Solar Cells

Steiner

Geisz

Ward

et al. 2016

IEEE J. Photovoltaics

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Abstract-Multij unction solar cells can be fabricated by mechanically bonding together component cells that are grown separately. Here, we present four-junction four-terminal mechanical stacks composed of GalnP/GaAs tandems grown on GaAs substrates and GalnAsP/GalnAs tandems grown on InP substrates. The component cells were bonded together with a low-index transparent epoxy that acts as an angularly selective reflector to the GaAs bandedge luminescence, while simultaneously transmitting nearly all of the subbandgap light. As determined by electroluminescence measurements and optical modeling, the GaAs subceU demonstrates a higher internal radiative limit and, thus, higher subceU voltage, compared with GaAs subceUs without the epoxy reflector. The best cells demonstrate 38.8 ± 1.0% efficiency under the global spectrum at 1000 W/m 2 and ~ 42% under the direct spectrum at ~100 suns. Eliminating the series resistance is the key challenge for further improving the concentrator cells.

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“…In this paper, we will discuss an alternative approach to fabricate ultra-high efficiency, mechanically-stacked solar cells using transfer printing, which has the potential for significant yield and throughput advantages. In two recent articles, commercially available, high efficiency 3J cells 2 were mechanically stacked in a four terminal architecture with Ge cells 3 and In 0.53 Ga 0.47 As cells 4 . The high performance InGaAs cells increased the uncertified efficiency of the 4J to 44.1% at 690 suns.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Realizing the next generation of CPV cells using transfer printing

Lumb

Schmieder

González

et al. 2015

AIP Conference Proceedings

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Printing-based assembly of quadruple-junction four-terminal microscale solar cells and their use in high-efficiency modules

Cited by 144 publications

References 24 publications

Wide-angle planar microtracking for quasi-static microcell concentrating photovoltaics

Wide-angle planar microtracking for quasi-static microcell concentrating photovoltaics

Optically Enhanced Photon Recycling in Mechanically Stacked Multijunction Solar Cells

Realizing the next generation of CPV cells using transfer printing

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