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Title: Si-Ge-Sn alloys with 1.0 eV gap for CPV multijunction solar cells

Abstract

Si-Ge-Sn ternary group IV alloys offer an alternative to currently used 1.0 eV gap materials utilized in multijunction solar cells. The advantage of Si-Ge-Sn is the ability to vary both the bandgap and lattice parameter independently. We present current development in fabrication of Si-Ge-Sn alloys with gaps in the 1.0 eV range. Produced material exhibits excellent structural properties, which allow for integration with existing III-V photovoltaic cell concepts. Time dependent room temperature photoluminescence data demonstrate that these materials have long carrier lifetimes. Absorption tunable by compositional changes is observed. As a prototype device set utilizing the 1 eV Si-Ge-Sn junction, single junction Si-Ge-Sn device and triple junction device with Si-Ge-Sn subcell have been fabricated. The resulting I-V and external quantum efficiency data show that the Si-Ge-Sn junction is fully functional and the performance is comparable to other 1.0 eV gap materials currently used.

Authors:
;  [1];  [2]
  1. Translucent Inc., Palo Alto, CA, 94303 (United States)
  2. Sumika Electronic Materials Inc., Phoenix, AZ, 85034 (United States)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
22489010
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
AIP Conference Proceedings
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 1679; Journal Issue: 1; Conference: CPV-11: 11. international conference on conventrator photovoltaictaic systems, Aix-les-Bains (France), 13-15 Apr 2015; Other Information: (c) 2015 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Journal ID: ISSN 0094-243X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; 14 SOLAR ENERGY; CARRIER LIFETIME; COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS; EV RANGE; FABRICATION; GERMANIUM ALLOYS; LATTICE PARAMETERS; PERFORMANCE; PHOTOLUMINESCENCE; QUANTUM EFFICIENCY; SEMICONDUCTOR JUNCTIONS; SILICON ALLOYS; SOLAR CELLS; TEMPERATURE RANGE 0273-0400 K; TERNARY ALLOY SYSTEMS; TIME DEPENDENCE; TIN ALLOYS

Citation Formats

Roucka, Radek, Clark, Andrew, and Landini, Barbara. Si-Ge-Sn alloys with 1.0 eV gap for CPV multijunction solar cells. United States: N. p., 2015. Web. doi:10.1063/1.4931519.
Roucka, Radek, Clark, Andrew, & Landini, Barbara. Si-Ge-Sn alloys with 1.0 eV gap for CPV multijunction solar cells. United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4931519
Roucka, Radek, Clark, Andrew, and Landini, Barbara. 2015. "Si-Ge-Sn alloys with 1.0 eV gap for CPV multijunction solar cells". United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4931519.
@article{osti_22489010,
title = {Si-Ge-Sn alloys with 1.0 eV gap for CPV multijunction solar cells},
author = {Roucka, Radek and Clark, Andrew and Landini, Barbara},
abstractNote = {Si-Ge-Sn ternary group IV alloys offer an alternative to currently used 1.0 eV gap materials utilized in multijunction solar cells. The advantage of Si-Ge-Sn is the ability to vary both the bandgap and lattice parameter independently. We present current development in fabrication of Si-Ge-Sn alloys with gaps in the 1.0 eV range. Produced material exhibits excellent structural properties, which allow for integration with existing III-V photovoltaic cell concepts. Time dependent room temperature photoluminescence data demonstrate that these materials have long carrier lifetimes. Absorption tunable by compositional changes is observed. As a prototype device set utilizing the 1 eV Si-Ge-Sn junction, single junction Si-Ge-Sn device and triple junction device with Si-Ge-Sn subcell have been fabricated. The resulting I-V and external quantum efficiency data show that the Si-Ge-Sn junction is fully functional and the performance is comparable to other 1.0 eV gap materials currently used.},
doi = {10.1063/1.4931519},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/22489010}, journal = {AIP Conference Proceedings},
issn = {0094-243X},
number = 1,
volume = 1679,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Sep 28 00:00:00 EDT 2015},
month = {Mon Sep 28 00:00:00 EDT 2015}
}