InP concentrator solar cells

Author

Ward, J.S. ; Wanlass, M.W. ; Coutts, T.J. ; Emery, K.A. ; Osterwald, C.R.

Author_Institution

Nat. Renewable Energy Lab., Golden, CO, USA

fYear

1991

fDate

7-11 Oct 1991

Firstpage

365

Abstract

The design, fabrication, and characterization of high-performance, n⁺/p InP shallow-homojunction (SHJ) concentrator solar cells are described. The InP device structures were grown by atmospheric-pressure metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy (APMOVPE). A preliminary assessment of the effects of grid collection distance and emitter sheet resistance on cell performance is presented. At concentration ratios of around 100, cells with efficiencies of 21.4% AM0 (24.3% direct) at 25°C have been fabricated. These are the highest efficiencies yet reported for single-junction InP solar cells. The performance of these cells as a function of temperature is discussed, and areas for future improvement are outlined. Application of these results to other InP-based photovoltaic devices is discussed

Keywords

III-V semiconductors; indium compounds; solar cells; solar energy concentrators; vapour deposited coatings; 21.4 percent; APMOVPE; InP concentrator solar cells; atmospheric-pressure metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy; concentration ratios; emitter sheet resistance; grid collection distance; semiconductor; shallow-homojunction; Helium; Hydrogen; Indium phosphide; Photovoltaic cells; Photovoltaic systems; Renewable energy resources; Solar power generation; Substrates; Sun; Temperature;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, 1991., Conference Record of the Twenty Second IEEE

Conference_Location

Las Vegas, NV

Print_ISBN

0-87942-636-5

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/PVSC.1991.169240

Filename

169240