Broad spectrum solar cell
Abstract
An alloy having a large band gap range is used in a multijunction solar cell to enhance utilization of the solar energy spectrum. In one embodiment, the alloy is In.sub.1-xGa.sub.xN having an energy bandgap range of approximately 0.7 eV to 3.4 eV, providing a good match to the solar energy spectrum. Multiple junctions having different bandgaps are stacked to form a solar cell. Each junction may have different bandgaps (realized by varying the alloy composition), and therefore be responsive to different parts of the spectrum. The junctions are stacked in such a manner that some bands of light pass through upper junctions to lower junctions that are responsive to such bands.
- Inventors:
-
- Kensington, CA
- Lafayette, CA
- Richmond, CA
- Ithaca, NY
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE
- OSTI Identifier:
- 909398
- Patent Number(s):
- 7217882
- Application Number:
- 10/445,711
- Assignee:
- Cornell Research Foundation, Inc. (Ithaca, NY); The Regents of the University of California (Oakland, CA)
- 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:
- AC03-76SF00098
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 14 SOLAR ENERGY
Citation Formats
Walukiewicz, Wladyslaw, Yu, Kin Man, Wu, Junqiao, and Schaff, William J. Broad spectrum solar cell. United States: N. p., 2007.
Web.
Walukiewicz, Wladyslaw, Yu, Kin Man, Wu, Junqiao, & Schaff, William J. Broad spectrum solar cell. United States.
Walukiewicz, Wladyslaw, Yu, Kin Man, Wu, Junqiao, and Schaff, William J. Tue .
"Broad spectrum solar cell". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/909398.
@article{osti_909398,
title = {Broad spectrum solar cell},
author = {Walukiewicz, Wladyslaw and Yu, Kin Man and Wu, Junqiao and Schaff, William J},
abstractNote = {An alloy having a large band gap range is used in a multijunction solar cell to enhance utilization of the solar energy spectrum. In one embodiment, the alloy is In.sub.1-xGa.sub.xN having an energy bandgap range of approximately 0.7 eV to 3.4 eV, providing a good match to the solar energy spectrum. Multiple junctions having different bandgaps are stacked to form a solar cell. Each junction may have different bandgaps (realized by varying the alloy composition), and therefore be responsive to different parts of the spectrum. The junctions are stacked in such a manner that some bands of light pass through upper junctions to lower junctions that are responsive to such bands.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue May 15 00:00:00 EDT 2007},
month = {Tue May 15 00:00:00 EDT 2007}
}
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