Title :
High efficiency GaAs/CuInSe2 tandem junction solar cells
Author :
Kim, N.P. ; Burgess, R.M. ; Stanbery, B.J. ; Mickelsen, R.A. ; Avery, J.E. ; McClelland, R.W. ; King, B.D. ; Boden, M.J. ; Gale, R.P.
Author_Institution :
Boeing Electron., Seattle, WA, USA
Abstract :
High-efficiency, mechanically stacked tandem junction solar cells based on a double-heterostructure GaAs single-crystal thin-film top cell and a polycrystalline CuInSe2 (CIS) thin-film bottom cell were developed to meet the power needs projected for future spacecraft. The best performance of these tandem cells achieved so far is 21.3% AM0, one sun, for a 1 cm2 four-terminal device at 28 degrees C. A GaAs subcell efficiency of 18.8% and a CuInSe2 subcell efficiency of 2.5% were measured for this device. Top cell efficiency up to 19.5% and lower cell efficiency up to 2.83% were measured for other tandem cells. A 3.0% CIS cell was achieved using a GaAs filter with a glycerol optical matching medium. This demonstrated efficiency provides for specific powers up to 620 W/kg when 50 mu m thick substrate and cover glasses are incorporated. Favorable results were obtained from thermal cycling experiments conducted to evaluate survivability of thin GaAs films in adhesive/glass sandwich structures.
Keywords :
III-V semiconductors; copper compounds; gallium arsenide; indium compounds; solar cells; ternary semiconductors; 19.5 percent; 2.83 percent; 50 micron; GaAs-CuInSe2 tandem junction solar cells; adhesive/glass sandwich structures; cover glasses; double-heterostructure thin-film top cell; glycerol optical matching medium; polycrystalline thin-film bottom cell; semiconductor; thermal cycling; Computational Intelligence Society; Gallium arsenide; Glass; Matched filters; Optical films; Optical filters; Photovoltaic cells; Space vehicles; Sun; Transistors;
Conference_Titel :
Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, 1988., Conference Record of the Twentieth IEEE
Conference_Location :
Las Vegas, NV, USA
DOI :
10.1109/PVSC.1988.105743
