Breakeven Criteria for the GaInNAs Junction in GaInP/GaAs/GaInNAs/Ge Four-Junction Solar Cells

D. J. Friedman; Sarah R. Kurtz

doi:10.1002/pip.430

Breakeven Criteria for the GaInNAs Junction in GaInP/GaAs/GaInNAs/Ge Four-Junction Solar Cells

D. J. Friedman, Sarah R. Kurtz

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

78 Scopus Citations

Abstract

The four-junction GaInP/GaAs/GaInNAs/Ge solar cell structure holds the promise of efficiencies exceeding those of the GaInP/GaAs/Ge three-junction cell, which at present is the benchmark for high-efficiency multijunction cell performance. The performance of GaInNAs junctions demonstrated to date has been insufficient for the realization of these projected efficiency gains, owing to poor minority-carrier properties in the GaInNAs. However, incremental improvements in the GaInNAs junctions have brought this breakeven point within sight. In this paper, we use a semi-empirical approach to estimate the efficiency of the GaInP/GaAs/GaInNAs/Ge four-junction solar cell structure as a function of the performance parameters of the GaInNAs third junction. The results provide guidance on the extent to which the current and voltage of present-day GaInNAs junctions will need to be improved in order for the resulting four-junction cell to realize its potential for efficiencies higher than that of GaInP/GaAs/Ge benchmark.

Original language	American English
Pages (from-to)	331-344
Number of pages	14
Journal	Progress in Photovoltaics: Research and Applications
Volume	10
Issue number	5
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/pip.430 https://doi.org/10.1002/pip.430
State	Published - 2002

NREL Publication Number

NREL/JA-520-31168

Access to Document

Cite this

@article{c366809e0e8a44c097e4c286d5d1cf31,

title = "Breakeven Criteria for the GaInNAs Junction in GaInP/GaAs/GaInNAs/Ge Four-Junction Solar Cells",

abstract = "The four-junction GaInP/GaAs/GaInNAs/Ge solar cell structure holds the promise of efficiencies exceeding those of the GaInP/GaAs/Ge three-junction cell, which at present is the benchmark for high-efficiency multijunction cell performance. The performance of GaInNAs junctions demonstrated to date has been insufficient for the realization of these projected efficiency gains, owing to poor minority-carrier properties in the GaInNAs. However, incremental improvements in the GaInNAs junctions have brought this breakeven point within sight. In this paper, we use a semi-empirical approach to estimate the efficiency of the GaInP/GaAs/GaInNAs/Ge four-junction solar cell structure as a function of the performance parameters of the GaInNAs third junction. The results provide guidance on the extent to which the current and voltage of present-day GaInNAs junctions will need to be improved in order for the resulting four-junction cell to realize its potential for efficiencies higher than that of GaInP/GaAs/Ge benchmark.",

author = "Friedman, {D. J.} and Kurtz, {Sarah R.}",

year = "2002",

doi = "10.1002/pip.430",

language = "American English",

volume = "10",

pages = "331--344",

journal = "Progress in Photovoltaics: Research and Applications",

issn = "1062-7995",

publisher = "John Wiley and Sons Ltd",

number = "5",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Breakeven Criteria for the GaInNAs Junction in GaInP/GaAs/GaInNAs/Ge Four-Junction Solar Cells

AU - Friedman, D. J.

AU - Kurtz, Sarah R.

PY - 2002

Y1 - 2002

N2 - The four-junction GaInP/GaAs/GaInNAs/Ge solar cell structure holds the promise of efficiencies exceeding those of the GaInP/GaAs/Ge three-junction cell, which at present is the benchmark for high-efficiency multijunction cell performance. The performance of GaInNAs junctions demonstrated to date has been insufficient for the realization of these projected efficiency gains, owing to poor minority-carrier properties in the GaInNAs. However, incremental improvements in the GaInNAs junctions have brought this breakeven point within sight. In this paper, we use a semi-empirical approach to estimate the efficiency of the GaInP/GaAs/GaInNAs/Ge four-junction solar cell structure as a function of the performance parameters of the GaInNAs third junction. The results provide guidance on the extent to which the current and voltage of present-day GaInNAs junctions will need to be improved in order for the resulting four-junction cell to realize its potential for efficiencies higher than that of GaInP/GaAs/Ge benchmark.

AB - The four-junction GaInP/GaAs/GaInNAs/Ge solar cell structure holds the promise of efficiencies exceeding those of the GaInP/GaAs/Ge three-junction cell, which at present is the benchmark for high-efficiency multijunction cell performance. The performance of GaInNAs junctions demonstrated to date has been insufficient for the realization of these projected efficiency gains, owing to poor minority-carrier properties in the GaInNAs. However, incremental improvements in the GaInNAs junctions have brought this breakeven point within sight. In this paper, we use a semi-empirical approach to estimate the efficiency of the GaInP/GaAs/GaInNAs/Ge four-junction solar cell structure as a function of the performance parameters of the GaInNAs third junction. The results provide guidance on the extent to which the current and voltage of present-day GaInNAs junctions will need to be improved in order for the resulting four-junction cell to realize its potential for efficiencies higher than that of GaInP/GaAs/Ge benchmark.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0036681737&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1002/pip.430

DO - 10.1002/pip.430

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:0036681737

SN - 1062-7995

VL - 10

SP - 331

EP - 344

JO - Progress in Photovoltaics: Research and Applications

JF - Progress in Photovoltaics: Research and Applications

IS - 5

ER -

Breakeven Criteria for the GaInNAs Junction in GaInP/GaAs/GaInNAs/Ge Four-Junction Solar Cells

Abstract

NREL Publication Number

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this