A theoretical study of heterojunction and graded band gap type solar cells. Annual report
The theory of heterojunction and graded bandgap solar cells was studied to help determine the material compositions and device dimensions needed for high efficiency solar cells. Because of the involved analysis of the fundamental equations describing solar cell operation, a general numerical device analysis program was used. A major part of the initial work was involved in modifying an existing silicon solar cell analysis program to account for the unique features of graded bandgap and heterojunction solar cells. The most successful III-V solar cells have so far been constructed in the GaAs and Ga/sub 1-x/Al/sub x/As material systems; this project was concerned with such solar cells. The most efficient solar cell so far evaluated is an abrupt heterojunction cell with a pure AlAs layer at the surface with a GaAs substrate. The predicted efficiency for this cell is slightly larger than that of a graded bandgap Ga/sub 1-x/Al/sub x/As solar cell.
- Research Organization:
- North Carolina State Univ., Raleigh (USA). Dept. of Electrical Engineering
- OSTI ID:
- 7125648
- Report Number(s):
- N-76-21685; NASA-CR-146840
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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