Title :
Electroplating as an economical means to lower series resistance in GaAs concentrator solar cells
Author :
Harris, Mike ; Hubbard, Seth M. ; Kassis, Mike ; Polly, Stephen ; Bailey, Christopher G. ; Jarosz, Paul
Author_Institution :
NanoPower Res. Lab., Rochester Inst. of Technol., Rochester, NY, USA
Abstract :
This paper presents a process for electroplating thick gold grid fingers for use as part of the contact layer on GaAs concentrator solar cells. This process is more economical than evaporation and is shown to produce grid fingers with low resistivity and contact resistance. Cell results show low overall series resistance values of near 15 m ¿-cm2 and peak efficiencies near 400 suns, much higher than attained with a thinner evaporated grid.
Keywords :
III-V semiconductors; contact resistance; electrical resistivity; electroplated coatings; electroplating; gallium arsenide; semiconductor thin films; solar cells; solar energy concentrators; thin film devices; GaAs; concentrator solar cells; contact layer; contact resistance; electroplating; peak efficiencies; resistivity; series resistance; thick gold grid fingers; Conductivity; Contact resistance; Degradation; Fabrication; Fingers; Gallium arsenide; Gold; Photovoltaic cells; Power generation economics; Sun;
Conference_Titel :
Photovoltaic Specialists Conference (PVSC), 2009 34th IEEE
Conference_Location :
Philadelphia, PA
Print_ISBN :
978-1-4244-2949-3
Electronic_ISBN :
0160-8371
DOI :
10.1109/PVSC.2009.5411438
