Reverse Heterojunction (Al)GaInP Solar Cells for Improved Efficiency at Concentration

Myles A. Steiner; Ryan M. France; Emmett E. Perl; Daniel J. Friedman; John Simon; John F. Geisz

doi:10.1109/JPHOTOV.2019.2957644

Reverse Heterojunction (Al)GaInP Solar Cells for Improved Efficiency at Concentration

Myles A. Steiner, Ryan M. France, Emmett E. Perl, Daniel J. Friedman, John Simon, John F. Geisz

Chemistry and Nanoscience

National Renewable Energy Laboratory

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

10 Scopus Citations

Abstract

Mitigating series resistance is crucial to the efficiency of concentrator solar cells at high current density. Conventional AlGaInP junction designs for the top junction of III-V multijunction cells present a challenging tradeoff between series resistance on the one hand and current collection and voltage on the other hand. In this article we discuss the physics of a reverse heterojunction solar cell that aims to improve on this tradeoff by combining a high bandgap Al_0.18Ga_0.33In_0.49P base and a lower bandgap (Al)GaInP emitter. The high mobility of the emitter leads to a relatively low series resistance, compared with a high bandgap homojunction cell. The electroluminescence spectrum shows emission peaks from both the emitter and base, leading to an open-circuit voltage that is not strictly dominated by either layer. The reverse heterojunction design is increasingly beneficial as the one-sun voltage increases.

Original language	American English
Article number	8936684
Pages (from-to)	487-494
Number of pages	8
Journal	IEEE Journal of Photovoltaics
Volume	10
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1109/JPHOTOV.2019.2957644 https://doi.org/10.1109/JPHOTOV.2019.2957644
State	Published - 2020

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2011-2012 IEEE.

NREL Publication Number

NREL/JA-5900-74125

Keywords

Concentration
Heterojunction
III-V solar cell
Series resistance

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title = "Reverse Heterojunction (Al)GaInP Solar Cells for Improved Efficiency at Concentration",

abstract = "Mitigating series resistance is crucial to the efficiency of concentrator solar cells at high current density. Conventional AlGaInP junction designs for the top junction of III-V multijunction cells present a challenging tradeoff between series resistance on the one hand and current collection and voltage on the other hand. In this article we discuss the physics of a reverse heterojunction solar cell that aims to improve on this tradeoff by combining a high bandgap Al0.18Ga0.33In0.49P base and a lower bandgap (Al)GaInP emitter. The high mobility of the emitter leads to a relatively low series resistance, compared with a high bandgap homojunction cell. The electroluminescence spectrum shows emission peaks from both the emitter and base, leading to an open-circuit voltage that is not strictly dominated by either layer. The reverse heterojunction design is increasingly beneficial as the one-sun voltage increases.",

keywords = "Concentration, Heterojunction, III-V solar cell, Series resistance",

author = "Steiner, {Myles A.} and France, {Ryan M.} and Perl, {Emmett E.} and Friedman, {Daniel J.} and John Simon and Geisz, {John F.}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2011-2012 IEEE.",

year = "2020",

doi = "10.1109/JPHOTOV.2019.2957644",

language = "American English",

volume = "10",

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T1 - Reverse Heterojunction (Al)GaInP Solar Cells for Improved Efficiency at Concentration

AU - Steiner, Myles A.

AU - France, Ryan M.

AU - Perl, Emmett E.

AU - Friedman, Daniel J.

AU - Simon, John

AU - Geisz, John F.

PY - 2020

Y1 - 2020

N2 - Mitigating series resistance is crucial to the efficiency of concentrator solar cells at high current density. Conventional AlGaInP junction designs for the top junction of III-V multijunction cells present a challenging tradeoff between series resistance on the one hand and current collection and voltage on the other hand. In this article we discuss the physics of a reverse heterojunction solar cell that aims to improve on this tradeoff by combining a high bandgap Al0.18Ga0.33In0.49P base and a lower bandgap (Al)GaInP emitter. The high mobility of the emitter leads to a relatively low series resistance, compared with a high bandgap homojunction cell. The electroluminescence spectrum shows emission peaks from both the emitter and base, leading to an open-circuit voltage that is not strictly dominated by either layer. The reverse heterojunction design is increasingly beneficial as the one-sun voltage increases.

AB - Mitigating series resistance is crucial to the efficiency of concentrator solar cells at high current density. Conventional AlGaInP junction designs for the top junction of III-V multijunction cells present a challenging tradeoff between series resistance on the one hand and current collection and voltage on the other hand. In this article we discuss the physics of a reverse heterojunction solar cell that aims to improve on this tradeoff by combining a high bandgap Al0.18Ga0.33In0.49P base and a lower bandgap (Al)GaInP emitter. The high mobility of the emitter leads to a relatively low series resistance, compared with a high bandgap homojunction cell. The electroluminescence spectrum shows emission peaks from both the emitter and base, leading to an open-circuit voltage that is not strictly dominated by either layer. The reverse heterojunction design is increasingly beneficial as the one-sun voltage increases.

KW - Concentration

KW - Heterojunction

KW - III-V solar cell

KW - Series resistance

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JO - IEEE Journal of Photovoltaics

JF - IEEE Journal of Photovoltaics

IS - 2

M1 - 8936684

ER -

Reverse Heterojunction (Al)GaInP Solar Cells for Improved Efficiency at Concentration

Abstract

Bibliographical note

NREL Publication Number

Keywords

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