Pathway to 50% Efficient Inverted Metamorphic Concentrator Solar Cells

John F. Geisz; Myles A. Steiner; Nikhil Jain; Kevin L. Schulte; Ryan M. France; William E. McMahon; Emmett E. Perl; Kelsey A.W. Horowitz; Daniel J. Friedman

doi:10.1063/1.5001425

Pathway to 50% Efficient Inverted Metamorphic Concentrator Solar Cells

John F. Geisz, Myles A. Steiner, Nikhil Jain, Kevin L. Schulte, Ryan M. France, William E. McMahon, Emmett E. Perl, Kelsey A.W. Horowitz, Daniel J. Friedman

Chemistry and Nanoscience

National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Research output: Contribution to conference › Paper › peer-review

16 Scopus Citations

Abstract

Series-connected five (5J) and six junction (6J) concentrator solar cell strategies have the realistic potential to exceed 50% efficiency to enable low-cost CPV systems. We propose three strategies for developing a practical 6J device. We have overcome many of the challenges required to build such concentrator solar cell devices: We have developed 2.1 eV AlGaInP, 1.7 eV AlGaAs, and 1.7 eV GaInAsP junctions with external radiative efficiency greater than 0.1%. We have developed a transparent tunnel junction that absorbs minimal light intended for the second junction yet resists degradation under thermal load. We have developed metamorphic grades from the GaAs to the InP lattice constant that are transparent to sub-GaAs bandgap light. We have grown and compared low bandgap junctions (0.7eV - 1.2 eV) using metamorphic GaInAs, metamorphic GaInAsP, and GaInAsP lattice-matched to InP. And finally, we have demonstrated excellent performance in a high voltage, low current 4 junction inverted metamorphic device using 2.1, 1.7, 1.4, and 1.1 eV junctions with over 8.7 mA/cm² one-sun current density that operates up to 1000 suns without tunnel junction failure.

Original language	American English
Number of pages	6
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5001425 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5001425
State	Published - 6 Sep 2017
Event	13th International Conference on Concentrator Photovoltaic Systems, CPV 2017 - Ottawa, Canada Duration: 1 May 2017 → 3 May 2017

Conference

Conference	13th International Conference on Concentrator Photovoltaic Systems, CPV 2017
Country/Territory	Canada
City	Ottawa
Period	1/05/17 → 3/05/17

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2017 Author(s).

NREL Publication Number

NREL/CP-5J00-68419

Keywords

band gap
electric currents
semiconductors
tunnel junctions

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Geisz, J. F., Steiner, M. A., Jain, N., Schulte, K. L., France, R. M., McMahon, W. E., Perl, E. E., Horowitz, K. A. W., & Friedman, D. J. (2017). Pathway to 50% Efficient Inverted Metamorphic Concentrator Solar Cells. Paper presented at 13th International Conference on Concentrator Photovoltaic Systems, CPV 2017, Ottawa, Canada. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5001425, https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5001425

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title = "Pathway to 50% Efficient Inverted Metamorphic Concentrator Solar Cells",

abstract = "Series-connected five (5J) and six junction (6J) concentrator solar cell strategies have the realistic potential to exceed 50% efficiency to enable low-cost CPV systems. We propose three strategies for developing a practical 6J device. We have overcome many of the challenges required to build such concentrator solar cell devices: We have developed 2.1 eV AlGaInP, 1.7 eV AlGaAs, and 1.7 eV GaInAsP junctions with external radiative efficiency greater than 0.1%. We have developed a transparent tunnel junction that absorbs minimal light intended for the second junction yet resists degradation under thermal load. We have developed metamorphic grades from the GaAs to the InP lattice constant that are transparent to sub-GaAs bandgap light. We have grown and compared low bandgap junctions (0.7eV - 1.2 eV) using metamorphic GaInAs, metamorphic GaInAsP, and GaInAsP lattice-matched to InP. And finally, we have demonstrated excellent performance in a high voltage, low current 4 junction inverted metamorphic device using 2.1, 1.7, 1.4, and 1.1 eV junctions with over 8.7 mA/cm2 one-sun current density that operates up to 1000 suns without tunnel junction failure.",

keywords = "band gap, electric currents, semiconductors, tunnel junctions",

author = "Geisz, {John F.} and Steiner, {Myles A.} and Nikhil Jain and Schulte, {Kevin L.} and France, {Ryan M.} and McMahon, {William E.} and Perl, {Emmett E.} and Horowitz, {Kelsey A.W.} and Friedman, {Daniel J.}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2017 Author(s).; 13th International Conference on Concentrator Photovoltaic Systems, CPV 2017 ; Conference date: 01-05-2017 Through 03-05-2017",

year = "2017",

month = sep,

day = "6",

doi = "10.1063/1.5001425",

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Geisz, JF , Steiner, MA, Jain, N, Schulte, KL , France, RM , McMahon, WE, Perl, EE, Horowitz, KAW & Friedman, DJ 2017, 'Pathway to 50% Efficient Inverted Metamorphic Concentrator Solar Cells', Paper presented at 13th International Conference on Concentrator Photovoltaic Systems, CPV 2017, Ottawa, Canada, 1/05/17 - 3/05/17. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5001425, https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5001425

TY - CONF

T1 - Pathway to 50% Efficient Inverted Metamorphic Concentrator Solar Cells

AU - Geisz, John F.

AU - Steiner, Myles A.

AU - Jain, Nikhil

AU - Schulte, Kevin L.

AU - France, Ryan M.

AU - McMahon, William E.

AU - Perl, Emmett E.

AU - Horowitz, Kelsey A.W.

AU - Friedman, Daniel J.

PY - 2017/9/6

Y1 - 2017/9/6

N2 - Series-connected five (5J) and six junction (6J) concentrator solar cell strategies have the realistic potential to exceed 50% efficiency to enable low-cost CPV systems. We propose three strategies for developing a practical 6J device. We have overcome many of the challenges required to build such concentrator solar cell devices: We have developed 2.1 eV AlGaInP, 1.7 eV AlGaAs, and 1.7 eV GaInAsP junctions with external radiative efficiency greater than 0.1%. We have developed a transparent tunnel junction that absorbs minimal light intended for the second junction yet resists degradation under thermal load. We have developed metamorphic grades from the GaAs to the InP lattice constant that are transparent to sub-GaAs bandgap light. We have grown and compared low bandgap junctions (0.7eV - 1.2 eV) using metamorphic GaInAs, metamorphic GaInAsP, and GaInAsP lattice-matched to InP. And finally, we have demonstrated excellent performance in a high voltage, low current 4 junction inverted metamorphic device using 2.1, 1.7, 1.4, and 1.1 eV junctions with over 8.7 mA/cm2 one-sun current density that operates up to 1000 suns without tunnel junction failure.

AB - Series-connected five (5J) and six junction (6J) concentrator solar cell strategies have the realistic potential to exceed 50% efficiency to enable low-cost CPV systems. We propose three strategies for developing a practical 6J device. We have overcome many of the challenges required to build such concentrator solar cell devices: We have developed 2.1 eV AlGaInP, 1.7 eV AlGaAs, and 1.7 eV GaInAsP junctions with external radiative efficiency greater than 0.1%. We have developed a transparent tunnel junction that absorbs minimal light intended for the second junction yet resists degradation under thermal load. We have developed metamorphic grades from the GaAs to the InP lattice constant that are transparent to sub-GaAs bandgap light. We have grown and compared low bandgap junctions (0.7eV - 1.2 eV) using metamorphic GaInAs, metamorphic GaInAsP, and GaInAsP lattice-matched to InP. And finally, we have demonstrated excellent performance in a high voltage, low current 4 junction inverted metamorphic device using 2.1, 1.7, 1.4, and 1.1 eV junctions with over 8.7 mA/cm2 one-sun current density that operates up to 1000 suns without tunnel junction failure.

KW - band gap

KW - electric currents

KW - semiconductors

KW - tunnel junctions

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85029579346&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1063/1.5001425

DO - 10.1063/1.5001425

M3 - Paper

AN - SCOPUS:85029579346

T2 - 13th International Conference on Concentrator Photovoltaic Systems, CPV 2017

Y2 - 1 May 2017 through 3 May 2017

ER -

Pathway to 50% Efficient Inverted Metamorphic Concentrator Solar Cells

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Keywords

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