Title :
Strain-balanced materials for high-efficiency solar cells
Author :
Ekins-Daukes, N.J. ; Zhang, J. ; Bushnell, D.B. ; Barnham, K.W.J. ; Mazzer, M. ; Roberts, J.S.
Author_Institution :
Blackett Lab., Imperial Coll. of Sci., Technol. & Med., London, UK
Abstract :
Traditionally, monolithic multi-junction solar cells have required lattice matched material combinations for efficient operation. However, strain-balanced structures allow lattice mismatched materials to be grown pseudomorphically, with low defect densities, and therefore offer interesting band-gap configurations for attaining optimal multi-junction solar cell structures. Several material combinations are identified and their suitability as highly efficient photovoltaic materials discussed; in particular InxGa1-xAs, GaAs1-xPx, GaInP and GaInNAs. Estimates for the limiting efficiency of strain-balanced multi-junction cells are presented, together with an outline of the technological requirements to achieve such cells
Keywords :
III-V semiconductors; gallium arsenide; gallium compounds; indium compounds; p-n heterojunctions; semiconductor device models; semiconductor growth; solar cells; GaAs1-xPx; GaInNAs; GaInP; InxGa1-xAs; InGaAs; band-gap configurations; defect density; high-efficiency solar cells; lattice mismatched materials; monolithic multi-junction solar cells; optimal multi-junction solar cell structures; photovoltaic materials; pseudomorphic growth; strain-balanced materials; Capacitive sensors; Gallium arsenide; Lattices; Photonic band gap; Photovoltaic cells; Photovoltaic systems; Physics; Solar power generation; Stress; Substrates;
Conference_Titel :
Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, 2000. Conference Record of the Twenty-Eighth IEEE
Conference_Location :
Anchorage, AK
Print_ISBN :
0-7803-5772-8
DOI :
10.1109/PVSC.2000.916122
