GaSb‐Based Solar Cells for Full Solar Spectrum Energy Harvesting

Lumb, Matthew P.; Mack, Shawn; Schmieder, Kenneth J.; González, María; Bennett, Mitchell F.; Scheiman, David; Meitl, Matthew; Fisher, Brent; Burroughs, Scott; Lee, Kyu‐Tae; Rogers, John A.; Walters, Robert J.

doi:10.1002/aenm.201700345

GaSb‐Based Solar Cells for Full Solar Spectrum Energy Harvesting

Journal Article · Mon Jul 10 00:00:00 EDT 2017 · Advanced Energy Materials

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/aenm.201700345· OSTI ID:1400845

Lumb, Matthew P. ^[1]; Mack, Shawn ^[2]; Schmieder, Kenneth J. ^[2]; González, María ^[3]; Bennett, Mitchell F. ^[3]; Scheiman, David ^[2]; Meitl, Matthew ^[4]; Fisher, Brent ^[4]; Burroughs, Scott ^[4]; Lee, Kyu‐Tae ^[5]; Rogers, John A. ^[5]; Walters, Robert J. ^[2]

The George Washington University 2121 I^st, NW Washington DC 20052 USA
US Naval Research Laboratory 4555 Overlook Avenue, SW Washington DC 20375 USA
Sotera Defense Solutions 430 National Business Pkwy #100 Annapolis Junction MD 20701 USA
Semprius Inc. 4915 Prospectus Dr. Durham NC 27713 USA
University of Illinois Urbana‐Champaign Urbana IL 61801 USA

Abstract

In this work, a multijunction solar cell is developed on a GaSb substrate that can efficiently convert the long‐wavelength photons typically lost in a multijunction solar cell into electricity. A combination of modeling and experimental device development is used to optimize the performance of a dual junction GaSb/InGaAsSb concentrator solar cell. Using transfer printing, a commercially available GaAs‐based triple junction cell is stacked mechanically with the GaSb‐based materials to create a four‐terminal, five junction cell with a spectral response range covering the region containing >99% of the available direct‐beam power from the Sun reaching the surface of the Earth. The cell is assembled in a mini‐module with a geometric concentration ratio of 744 suns on a two‐axis tracking system and demonstrated a combined module efficiency of 41.2%, measured outdoors in Durham, NC. Taking into account the measured transmission of the optics gives an implied cell efficiency of 44.5%.

View Accepted Manuscript (Publisher)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE

OSTI ID:: 1400845

Journal Information:: Advanced Energy Materials, Journal Name: Advanced Energy Materials Journal Issue: 20 Vol. 7; ISSN 1614-6832

Publisher:: Wiley Blackwell (John Wiley & Sons)Copyright Statement

Country of Publication:: Germany

Language:: English

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