Multijunction Ga0.5In0.5P/GaAs solar cells grown by dynamic hydride vapor phase epitaxy

Schulte, Kevin L.; Simon, John; Ptak, Aaron J.

doi:10.1002/pip.3027

Title: Multijunction Ga_0.5In_0.5P/GaAs solar cells grown by dynamic hydride vapor phase epitaxy

Journal Article · 13 June 2018 · Progress in Photovoltaics

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/pip.3027 · OSTI ID:1478619

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National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

Abstract We report the development of Ga _0.5 In _0.5 P/GaAs monolithic tandem solar cells grown by dynamic hydride vapor phase epitaxy, a III‐V semiconductor growth alternative to metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy with the potential to reduce growth costs. The tandem device consists of 3 components: a 1.88 eV band gap ( E _G ) Ga _0.5 In _0.5 P top cell, a p‐Ga _0.5 In _0.5 P/n‐GaAs tunnel junction, and a 1.41 eV rear heterojunction GaAs cell. The open circuit voltage ( V _OC ) and fill factor are 2.40 V and 88.4%, respectively, indicative of high material quality. Electroluminescence measurements show that the individual V _OC of the top and bottom cell are 1.40 and 1.00 V, respectively, yielding E _G ‐voltage offsets ( W _OC ) of 0.48 and 0.41 V. The W _OC of the top cell is higher because of an unpassivated front surface rather than the bulk material quality. The Ga _0.5 In _0.5 P top cell limits the current of this series‐connected device for this reason to a short‐circuit current density ( J _SC ) of 11.16 ± 0.15 mA/cm ² yielding an overall efficiency of 23.7% ± 0.3%. We show through modeling that thinning the emitter will improve the present result, with a clear pathway toward 30% efficiency with the existing material quality. This result is a promising step toward the realization of high‐efficiency III‐V multijunction devices with reduced growth cost.

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Research Organization:: National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy (ARPA-E); USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Renewable Power Office. Solar Energy Technologies Office

Grant/Contract Number:: AC36-08GO28308

OSTI ID:: 1478619

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1454277

Report Number(s):: NREL/JA-5J00-71357

Journal Information:: Progress in Photovoltaics, Vol. 26, Issue 11; ISSN 1062-7995

Publisher:: WileyCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Cited by: 30 works

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