High-efficiency GaInP/GaAs tandem solar cells for space and terrestrial applications

Book · Sat Dec 31 00:00:00 EST 1994

OSTI ID:191099

Bertness, K A; Kurtz, S R; Friedman, D J; Kibbler, A E; Kramer, C; Olsen, J M ^[1]

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1. National Renewable Energy Laboratory., Golden, CO (United States)

GaInP/GaAs tandem solar cells are proving to be a highly adaptable, high-efficiency photovoltaic technology. GaInP/GaAs tandem cells have now exceeded all confirmed two-terminal efficiencies for cells of any material combination at one-sun air-mass 1.5 global (AM1.5G) with an efficiency {eta} = 29.5%, at 160-suns AM1.5 direct (Am1.5D) with {eta} = 30.2%, at one-sun AMO with {eta} = 25.7%, and at AMO with {eta} = 19.6% after 1-MeV, 10{sup 15}-cm{sup 2} electron irradiation. These high efficiencies reduce the balance-of-system costs for a photovoltaic power system relative to a system using less efficient cells. This balance-of-system leverage has made this technology competitive in the near term for space and concentrator terrestrial applications even though the GaInP/GaAs cells are relatively expensive. A starting point for these high efficiencies is the high quality of the single-crystal epitaxial material. Recent advances are attributed to improvements in interface passivation layers and cell designs.

• DOE Contract Number: AC36-83CH10093
• OSTI ID: 191099
• Report Number(s): CONF-941203-; ISBN 0-7803-1459-X; TRN: IM9610%%100
• Resource Relation: Conference: 1. world conference on photovoltaic energy conversion, Waikoloa, HI (United States), 5-9 Dec 1994; Other Information: PBD: 1994; Related Information: Is Part Of 1994 IEEE first world conference on photovoltaic energy conversion: Conference record of the twenty-fourth IEEE photovoltaic specialists conference -- 1994. Volume 2; PB: 1268 p.
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
GALLIUM PHOSPHIDE SOLAR CELLS
PERFORMANCE
INDIUM PHOSPHIDE SOLAR CELLS
GALLIUM ARSENIDE SOLAR CELLS
ZINC SULFIDES
MAGNESIUM FLUORIDES
GOLD
DIFFUSION LENGTH
DOPED MATERIALS
ZINC
SILICON
SELENIUM
ELECTRIC CURRENTS
ELECTRIC POTENTIAL
FILL FACTORS
EFFICIENCY
PASSIVATION
ION MICROPROBE ANALYSIS
MASS SPECTROSCOPY
EXPERIMENTAL DATA