InGaAs series-connected, tandem, MIM TPV converters

Author

Wehrer, Rebecca ; Wanlass, Mark ; Wilt, David ; Wernsman, B. ; Siergiej, Richard ; Carapella, Jeff

Author_Institution

Bechtel Bettis Inc., West Mifflin, PA, USA

Volume

1

fYear

2003

fDate

18-18 May 2003

Firstpage

892

Abstract

Thermophotovoltaic (TPV) tandem converter technology is being explored in an effort to improve the efficiency of TPV systems while maintaining high power densities. Series-connected (SC) tandem structures incorporate epitaxially grown 0.74 eV lattice-matched Ga/sub 0.47/In/sub 0.53/As and 0.63 eV lattice-mismatched Ga/sub 0.36/In/sub 0.64/As diodes. Structures have been grown using OMVPE and devices have been fabricated via wet-chemical processing. The 10-cell SC tandem MIM reported here produced 6.14 V in the open-circuit condition, 0.292 A/cm/sup 2/ in the short-circuit condition, and exhibited a fill factor of 67.6%. These values were measured at a cell temperature of 52/spl deg/C using a low emissivity /spl sim/1000/spl deg/C graybody illumination source. To our knowledge, these results are the first-of-a-kind for SC tandem MlMs.

Keywords

III-V semiconductors; MOCVD; emissivity; gallium compounds; indium compounds; monolithic integrated circuits; semiconductor epitaxial layers; short-circuit currents; solar absorber-convertors; solar cells; thermophotovoltaic cells; vapour phase epitaxial growth; 52 degC; 6.14 V; InGaAs; OMVPE; cell temperature; emissivity; fill factor; monolithic interconnected module; open-circuit condition; series-connected tandem structure; short-circuit condition; thermophotovoltaic tandem converter technology; wet-chemical processing;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Photovoltaic Energy Conversion, 2003. Proceedings of 3rd World Conference on

Conference_Location

Osaka, Japan

Print_ISBN

4-9901816-0-3

Type

conf

Filename

1305427