Ternary III-V solar cells for multicolor applications

Conference · Wed Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1982 · Conf. Rec. IEEE Photovoltaic Spec. Conf.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5320016

Fraas, L M; Cape, J A; Ransom, R A; Sawyer, D E; Shin, B K

High efficiency, shallow-junction GaAs (1-x)P(x) and GaAs(1-y)Sb(y) ternary III-V solar cells are reported for the first time. Specifically, the authors report on a GaAs (0.82)P(0.18) cell with a band gap of 1.65 eV and an energy conversion efficiency of 14.8% at 7.4 suns and a GaAs(0.88)Sb(0.12) cell with a band gap of 1.2 eV and a conversion efficiency of 15.6% at 18 suns. Both cells were fabricated on GaAs substrates. These cells were then used as the building blocks for multicolor solar cells. Both two-terminal and threeterminal, two-color cells were fabricated. The two-terminal devices used a p+/n+ GaAs-shorting junction to series connect a GaAs(1-x)P(x) n+/p visible light-sensing junction to a GaAs(1-y)Sb(y) n+/p infrared-sensing junction. The expected voltage addition was demonstrated. The three-terminal devices were transistor-like devices in which an n+/p GaAs(1-x)P(x) cell was grown on a p+/n GaAs(1-y)Sb(y) cell. The third terminal was attached via etched-in grooves to the GaAs(1-x)P(x) p-layer. The three-terminal device allows independent testing of both active junctions in a monolithic two-color stack. Both junctions in these three terminal devices performed qualitatively as expected.

• Research Organization: Chevron Research Company, Richmond, CA
• OSTI ID: 5320016
• Report Number(s): CONF-820906-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Conf. Rec. IEEE Photovoltaic Spec. Conf.; (United States)
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140501* -- Solar Energy Conversion-- Photovoltaic Conversion
ALLOY SYSTEMS
ALLOYS
ANTIMONY ADDITIONS
ANTIMONY ALLOYS
CASCADE SOLAR CELLS
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
EFFICIENCY
ELECTRIC POTENTIAL
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
EQUIPMENT
FABRICATION
GALLIUM ARSENIDE SOLAR CELLS
GRADED BAND GAPS
INFRARED RADIATION
JUNCTIONS
P-N JUNCTIONS
PERFORMANCE TESTING
PHOSPHORUS ADDITIONS
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
PNICTIDES
QUANTUM EFFICIENCY
RADIATIONS
SEMICONDUCTOR JUNCTIONS
SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
TERNARY ALLOY SYSTEMS
TESTING
VISIBLE RADIATION