Reverse Heterojunction (Al)GaInP Solar Cells for Improved Efficiency at Concentration

Steiner, Myles A.; France, Ryan M.; Perl, Emmett E.; Friedman, Daniel J.; Simon, John; Geisz, John F.

doi:10.1109/jphotov.2019.2957644

Title: Reverse Heterojunction (Al)GaInP Solar Cells for Improved Efficiency at Concentration

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Abstract

Mitigating series resistance is crucial to the efficiency of concentrator solar cells at high current density. Conventional AlGaInP junction designs for the top junction of III-V multijunction cells present a challenging tradeoff between series resistance on the one hand and current collection and voltage on the other hand. In this article we discuss the physics of a reverse heterojunction solar cell that aims to improve on this tradeoff by combining a high bandgap Al_0.18Ga_0.33In_0.49P base and a lower bandgap (Al)GaInP emitter. The high mobility of the emitter leads to a relatively low series resistance, compared with a high bandgap homojunction cell. Furthermore, the electroluminescence spectrum shows emission peaks from both the emitter and base, leading to an open-circuit voltage that is not strictly dominated by either layer. The reverse heterojunction design is increasingly beneficial as the one-sun voltage increases.

Authors:

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National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Antora Energy, Berkeley, CA (United States)

Publication Date:: 2019-12-19

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

Sponsoring Org.:: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)

OSTI Identifier:: 1605706

Report Number(s):: NREL/JA-5900-74125
Journal ID: ISSN 2156-3381; MainId:24483;UUID:f891a7d6-0888-e911-9c21-ac162d87dfe5;MainAdminID:12959

Grant/Contract Number:: AC36-08GO28308

Resource Type:: Accepted Manuscript

Journal Name:: IEEE Journal of Photovoltaics

Additional Journal Information:: Journal Volume: 10; Journal Issue: 2; Journal ID: ISSN 2156-3381

Publisher:: IEEE

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: 14 SOLAR ENERGY; 42 ENGINEERING; concentration; heterojunction; series resistance; III-V solar cell

Citation Formats


                    Steiner, Myles A., France, Ryan M., Perl, Emmett E., Friedman, Daniel J., Simon, John, and Geisz, John F.. Reverse Heterojunction (Al)GaInP Solar Cells for Improved Efficiency at Concentration.  United States: N. p., 2019. 
Web.  https://doi.org/10.1109/jphotov.2019.2957644.

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                    Steiner, Myles A., France, Ryan M., Perl, Emmett E., Friedman, Daniel J., Simon, John, & Geisz, John F.. Reverse Heterojunction (Al)GaInP Solar Cells for Improved Efficiency at Concentration.  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1109/jphotov.2019.2957644

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                    Steiner, Myles A., France, Ryan M., Perl, Emmett E., Friedman, Daniel J., Simon, John, and Geisz, John F.. Thu .  
"Reverse Heterojunction (Al)GaInP Solar Cells for Improved Efficiency at Concentration".  United States.  https://doi.org/10.1109/jphotov.2019.2957644.  https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1605706.

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@article{osti_1605706,

  title        = {Reverse Heterojunction (Al)GaInP Solar Cells for Improved Efficiency at Concentration},

  author       = {Steiner, Myles A. and France, Ryan M. and Perl, Emmett E. and Friedman, Daniel J. and Simon, John and Geisz, John F.},

  abstractNote = {Mitigating series resistance is crucial to the efficiency of concentrator solar cells at high current density. Conventional AlGaInP junction designs for the top junction of III-V multijunction cells present a challenging tradeoff between series resistance on the one hand and current collection and voltage on the other hand. In this article we discuss the physics of a reverse heterojunction solar cell that aims to improve on this tradeoff by combining a high bandgap Al0.18Ga0.33In0.49P base and a lower bandgap (Al)GaInP emitter. The high mobility of the emitter leads to a relatively low series resistance, compared with a high bandgap homojunction cell. Furthermore, the electroluminescence spectrum shows emission peaks from both the emitter and base, leading to an open-circuit voltage that is not strictly dominated by either layer. The reverse heterojunction design is increasingly beneficial as the one-sun voltage increases.},

  doi          = {10.1109/jphotov.2019.2957644},

  journal      = {IEEE Journal of Photovoltaics},

  number       = 2,

  volume       = 10,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {2019},

  month        = {12}

}

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