Six-junction III–V solar cells with 47.1% conversion efficiency under 143 Suns concentration

Geisz, John F.; France, Ryan M.; Schulte, Kevin L.; Steiner, Myles A.; Norman, Andrew G.; Guthrey, Harvey L.; Young, Matthew R.; Song, Tao; Moriarty, Thomas

doi:10.1038/s41560-020-0598-5

Title: Six-junction III–V solar cells with 47.1% conversion efficiency under 143 Suns concentration

Journal Article · Mon Apr 13 00:00:00 EDT 2020 · Nature Energy

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-020-0598-5· OSTI ID:1659948

^[1];

^[1]; Young, Matthew R. ^[1]; Song, Tao ^[1]; Moriarty, Thomas ^[1]

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

Single-junction flat-plate terrestrial solar cells are fundamentally limited to about 30% solar-to-electricity conversion efficiency, but multiple junctions and concentrated light make much higher efficiencies practically achievable. Until now, four-junction III–V concentrator solar cells have demonstrated the highest solar conversion efficiencies. Here, we demonstrate 47.1% solar conversion efficiency using a monolithic, series-connected, six-junction inverted metamorphic structure operated under the direct spectrum at 143 Suns concentration. Furthermore, when tuned to the global spectrum, a variation of this structure achieves a 1-Sun global efficiency of 39.2%. Nearly optimal bandgaps for six junctions were fabricated using alloys of III–V semiconductors. To develop these junctions, it was necessary to minimize threading dislocations in lattice-mismatched III–V alloys, prevent phase segregation in metastable quaternary III–V alloys and understand dopant diffusion in complex structures. Further reduction of the series resistance within this structure could realistically enable efficiencies over 50%.

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

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Renewable Power Office. Solar Energy Technologies Office

Grant/Contract Number:: AC36-08GO28308

OSTI ID:: 1659948

Report Number(s):: NREL/JA-5900-74788; MainId:6503; UUID:8274b369-89ce-e911-9c26-ac162d87dfe5; MainAdminID:13679

Journal Information:: Nature Energy, Vol. 5, Issue 4; ISSN 2058-7546

Publisher:: Nature Publishing GroupCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Cited by: 276 works

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