Concentrator tandem solar cells based on AlGaAs/GaAs-InP/InGaAs(or GaSb) structures

Author

Andreev, V.M. ; Karlina, L.B. ; Kazantsev, A.B. ; Khvostikov, V.P. ; Rumyantsev, V.D. ; Sorokina, S.V. ; Shvarts, M.Z.

Author_Institution

A.F. Ioffe Physicotech. Inst., Acad. of Sci., St. Petersburg, Russia

Volume

2

fYear

1994

fDate

5-9 Dec 1994

Firstpage

1721

Abstract

We have developed high-efficiency IR-transparent AlGaAs/GaAs top cells as well as InP/InGaAs and GaSb bottom cells for mechanically stacked tandem solar cells designed for space application. AlGaAs/GaAs and InP/InGaAs structures are prepared by liquid phase epitaxy, GaSb structures-by Zn-diffusion process. The highest top cell efficiency is 23.8% (AMO, 100 suns, 25°C). The infrared-sensitive InP/InGaAs cell efficiency measured under a GaAs IR-filter is 5.9%. The maximum GaSb cell efficiency under GaAs-filter is 5.1%. Mechanically stacked four-terminal tandem solar cells have been fabricated and tested as well. The reached efficiency of an AlGaAs/GaAs-InP/InGaAs tandem cell is 28.2% (AMO, 70 suns, 25°C)

Keywords

III-V semiconductors; aluminium compounds; diffusion; gallium arsenide; liquid phase epitaxial growth; photovoltaic power systems; semiconductor device testing; semiconductor epitaxial layers; solar cells; solar energy concentrators; space vehicle power plants; 25 C; 5.1 to 28.8 percent; AlGaAs-GaAs-GaSb; AlGaAs-GaAs-InP-InGaAs; AlGaAs/GaAs-GaSb tandem solar cells; AlGaAs/GaAs-InP/InGaAs tandem solar cells; GaAs IR-filter; GaSb bottom cells; IR-transparent AlGaAs/GaAs top cells; InP/InGaAs bottom cells; Zn-diffusion process; four-terminal tandem solar cells; high-efficiency; liquid phase epitaxy; mechanically stacked tandem solar cells; top cell efficiency; Epitaxial growth; Gallium arsenide; Indium gallium arsenide; Indium phosphide; Nonhomogeneous media; Optical losses; Photovoltaic cells; Sun; Testing; Zinc;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Photovoltaic Energy Conversion, 1994., Conference Record of the Twenty Fourth. IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference - 1994, 1994 IEEE First World Conference on

Conference_Location

Waikoloa, HI

Print_ISBN

0-7803-1460-3

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/WCPEC.1994.520550

Filename

520550