Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-jn8rn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-27T02:02:09.767Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

High Efficiency Monolithic Multi-Junction Solar Cells Using Lattice-Mismatched Growth

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 February 2011

R.W. Hoffman JR.
Affiliation:
Essential Research, Inc. c/o NASA LeRC, 21000 Brookpark Rd., Cleveland, OH 44135
N.S. Fatemi
Affiliation:
Essential Research, Inc. c/o NASA LeRC, 21000 Brookpark Rd., Cleveland, OH 44135
M.A. Stan
Affiliation:
Essential Research, Inc. c/o NASA LeRC, 21000 Brookpark Rd., Cleveland, OH 44135
P. Jenkins
Affiliation:
Essential Research, Inc. c/o NASA LeRC, 21000 Brookpark Rd., Cleveland, OH 44135
V.G. Weizer
Affiliation:
Essential Research, Inc. c/o NASA LeRC, 21000 Brookpark Rd., Cleveland, OH 44135
D.A. Scheiman
Affiliation:
Ohio Aerospace Institute, Cleveland, OH
D.J. Brinker
Affiliation:
NASA Lewis Research Center, 21000 Brookpark Rd., Cleveland, OH 44135
Get access

Abstract

The demand for spacecraft power has dramatically increased recently. Higher efficiency, multi-junction devices are being developed to satisfy the demand. The multi-junction cells presently being developed and flown do not employ optimized bandgap combinations for ultimate efficiency due to the traditional constraint of maintaining lattice match to available substrates. We are developing a new approach to optimize the bandgap combination and improve the device performance that is based on relaxing the condition of maintaining lattice match to the substrate. We have designed cells based on this approach, fabricated single junction components cells and tested their performance. We will report on our progress toward achieving beginning-of-life AMO multi-junction device conversion efficiencies above 30%.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1999

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

[1] Fan, J. C. C., Tsaur, B-Y., and Palm, B. J., Proc. 16th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conf. (1982) p. 692.Google Scholar
[2] Bertness, K. A., Kurtz, S. R., Friedman, D. J., Kibbler, A. E., Kramer, C., and Olson, J. M., IEEE Proc. First World Conf. on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion (1994), p. 1671.Google Scholar
[3] Takamoto, T., M Yamaguchi, Taylor, S.J., Ikeda, E., Agui, T. and Kurita, H., Proc of the 26th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialist Conference (1997) p. 887.Google Scholar
[4] Keener, D.N.. , Marvin, Brinker, D.J., Curtis, H.B. and Price, P.M., Proc. of the 26th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialist Conference (1997) p. 787.Google Scholar
[5] Lewis, C.R., Ford, C.W., Virshup, G.F., Arau, B.A., Green, R.T. and Werthen, J.G., Proc. of the 18th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialist Conference (1985) p. 556.Google Scholar
[6] Olsen, J.M., Kibbler, A. and Kurtz, S.R., Proc. of the 19th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference (1987) p. 285.Google Scholar
[7] Hoffman, R.W. Jr., Fatemi, N.S., Wilt, D.M., Jenkins, P., Brinker, D.J. and Scheiman, D.A., Proc. of the 1st World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion (1994) p. 1882.Google Scholar
[8] Krishnamoorthy, V., Ribas, P., and Park, R. M., Appl. Phys. Lett. 58, 2000 (1991).Google Scholar
[9] Vernon, S.M., Tobin, S.P., Al-Jassim, M.M., Ahrenkiel, R.K., Jones, K.M. and Keyes, B.M. Proc. of the 21st IEEE Photovoltaic Specialist Conference (1990) p. 211.Google Scholar
[10] Jain, R.K. and Flood, D.J., IEEE Trans.El.Dev., 40 1928 (1993).Google Scholar