High-efficiency solar cell and method for fabrication
Abstract
A high-efficiency 3- or 4-junction solar cell is disclosed with a theoretical AM0 energy conversion efficiency of about 40%. The solar cell includes p-n junctions formed from indium gallium arsenide nitride (InGaAsN), gallium arsenide (GaAs) and indium gallium aluminum phosphide (InGaAlP) separated by n-p tunnel junctions. An optional germanium (Ge) p-n junction can be formed in the substrate upon which the other p-n junctions are grown. The bandgap energies for each p-n junction are tailored to provide substantially equal short-circuit currents for each p-n junction, thereby eliminating current bottlenecks and improving the overall energy conversion efficiency of the solar cell. Additionally, the use of an InGaAsN p-n junction overcomes super-bandgap energy losses that are present in conventional multi-junction solar cells. A method is also disclosed for fabricating the high-efficiency 3- or 4-junction solar cell by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD).
- Inventors:
-
- Albuquerque, NM
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), Albuquerque, NM, and Livermore, CA (United States)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 872483
- Patent Number(s):
- 5944913
- Assignee:
- Sandia Corporation (Albuquerque, NM)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
H - ELECTRICITY H01 - BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS H01L - SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y02 - TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE Y02E - REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-94AL85000
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- high-efficiency; solar; cell; method; fabrication; 3-; 4-junction; disclosed; theoretical; am0; energy; conversion; efficiency; 40; p-n; junctions; formed; indium; gallium; arsenide; nitride; ingaasn; gaas; aluminum; phosphide; ingaalp; separated; n-p; tunnel; optional; germanium; junction; substrate; grown; bandgap; energies; tailored; provide; substantially; equal; short-circuit; currents; eliminating; current; bottlenecks; improving; overall; additionally; overcomes; super-bandgap; losses; conventional; multi-junction; cells; fabricating; metal-organic; chemical; vapor; deposition; mocvd; tunnel junctions; indium gallium; efficiency solar; gap energy; p-n junctions; energy losses; tunnel junction; p-n junction; conversion efficiency; chemical vapor; solar cell; solar cells; vapor deposition; energy conversion; substantially equal; gallium arsenide; provide substantially; multi-junction solar; junction solar; overall energy; metal-organic chemical; bandgap energy; organic chemical; energy loss; high-efficiency solar; gallium aluminum; /136/
Citation Formats
Hou, Hong Q, and Reinhardt, Kitt C. High-efficiency solar cell and method for fabrication. United States: N. p., 1999.
Web.
Hou, Hong Q, & Reinhardt, Kitt C. High-efficiency solar cell and method for fabrication. United States.
Hou, Hong Q, and Reinhardt, Kitt C. Fri .
"High-efficiency solar cell and method for fabrication". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/872483.
@article{osti_872483,
title = {High-efficiency solar cell and method for fabrication},
author = {Hou, Hong Q and Reinhardt, Kitt C},
abstractNote = {A high-efficiency 3- or 4-junction solar cell is disclosed with a theoretical AM0 energy conversion efficiency of about 40%. The solar cell includes p-n junctions formed from indium gallium arsenide nitride (InGaAsN), gallium arsenide (GaAs) and indium gallium aluminum phosphide (InGaAlP) separated by n-p tunnel junctions. An optional germanium (Ge) p-n junction can be formed in the substrate upon which the other p-n junctions are grown. The bandgap energies for each p-n junction are tailored to provide substantially equal short-circuit currents for each p-n junction, thereby eliminating current bottlenecks and improving the overall energy conversion efficiency of the solar cell. Additionally, the use of an InGaAsN p-n junction overcomes super-bandgap energy losses that are present in conventional multi-junction solar cells. A method is also disclosed for fabricating the high-efficiency 3- or 4-junction solar cell by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD).},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1999},
month = {Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1999}
}
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