Title :
Development and characterization of high-efficiency Ga0.5In0.5P/GaAs/Ge dual- and triple-junction solar cells
Author :
Karam, Nasser H. ; King, Richard R. ; Cavicchi, B. Terence ; Krut, Dimitri D. ; Ermer, James H. ; Haddad, Moran ; Cai, Li ; Joslin, David E. ; Takahashi, Mark ; Eldredge, Jack W. ; Nishikawa, Warren T. ; Lillington, David R. ; Keyes, Brian M. ; Ahrenkiel,
Author_Institution :
Spectrolab Inc., Sylmar, CA, USA
fDate :
10/1/1999 12:00:00 AM
Abstract :
This paper describes recent progress in the characterization, analysis, and development of high-efficiency, radiation-resistant Ga0.5In0.5P/GaAs/Ge dual-junction (DJ) and triple-junction (TJ) solar cells. DJ cells have rapidly transitioned from the laboratory to full-scale (325 kW/year) production at Spectrolab. Performance data for over 470000 large-area (26.94 cm2 ), thin (140 μm) DJ solar cells grown on low-cost, high-strength Ge substrates are shown. Advances in next-generation triple-junction Ga0.5In0.5P/GaAs/Ge cells with an active Ge component cell are discussed, giving efficiencies up to 26.7% (21.65-cm2 area), AM0, at 28°C. Final-to-initial power ratios P/P0 of 0.83 were measured for these n-on-p DJ and TJ cells after irradiation with 1015 1-MeV electrons/cm2 . Time-resolved photoluminescence measurements are applied to double heterostructures grown with semiconductor layers and interfaces relevant to these multijunction solar cells, to characterize surface and bulk recombination and guide further device improvements. Dual- and triple-junction Ga0.5In0.5P/GaAs/Ge cells are compared to competing space photovoltaic technologies, and found to offer 60-75% more end-of-life power than high-efficiency Si cells at a nominal array temperature of 60°C
Keywords :
III-V semiconductors; electron beam effects; gallium arsenide; gallium compounds; germanium; indium compounds; photoluminescence; solar cell arrays; surface recombination; time resolved spectra; 1 MeV; 140 mum; 26.7 percent; 28 C; 60 C; AM0 efficiencies; Ga0.5In0.5P-GaAs-Ge; Ga0.5In0.5P/GaAs/Ge; Ge; Spectrolab; active Ge component cell; array temperature; bulk recombination; dual-junction solar cells; electron irradiation; end-of-life power; final-to-initial power ratios; high-efficiency radiation-resistant solar cells; high-strength Ge substrates; large-area solar cells; multijunction solar cells; performance data; space photovoltaic technologies; surface recombination; time-resolved photoluminescence; triple-junction solar cells; Electrons; Gallium arsenide; Laboratories; Photoluminescence; Photovoltaic cells; Power measurement; Production; Radiative recombination; Space technology; Substrates;
Journal_Title :
Electron Devices, IEEE Transactions on
