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Theoretical performance of multi-junction solar cells combining III-V and Si materials

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Abstract

A route to improving the overall efficiency of multi-junction solar cells employing conventional III-V and Si photovoltaic junctions is presented here. A simulation model was developed to consider the performance of several multi-junction solar cell structures in various multi-terminal configurations. For series connected, 2-terminal triple-junction solar cells, incorporating an AlGaAs top junction, a GaAs middle junction and either a Si or InGaAs bottom junction, it was found that the configuration with a Si bottom junction yielded a marginally higher one sun efficiency of 41.5% versus 41.3% for an InGaAs bottom junction. A significant efficiency gain of 1.8% over the two-terminal device can be achieved by providing an additional terminal to the Si bottom junction in a 3-junction mechanically stacked configuration. It is shown that the optimum performance can be achieved by employing a four-junction series-connected mechanically stacked device incorporating a Si subcell between top AlGaAs/GaAs and bottom In0.53Ga0.47As cells.

©2012 Optical Society of America

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Figures (7)

Fig. 1
Fig. 1 Triple-junction (a, b) and four-junction (c) series-connected multi-junction solar cell configurations modelled where the interface between Si and InGaAs and the other semiconductor materials is considered as a completely transparent and ideal ohmic contact.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2 Triple-junction mechanically stacked solar cells formed using Si (a) and InGaAs (b) bottom solar cells and a four-junction configuration (c).
Fig. 3
Fig. 3 The absorption co-efficients of the materials considered for multi-junction solar cells. The AM1.5d ASTM G173-03 spectrum is shown for comparison.
Fig. 4
Fig. 4 The modelled electrical performance of a Si solar cell mechanically stacked under a dual junction AlGaAs/GaAs solar cell as a function of Si thickness.
Fig. 5
Fig. 5 The modelled electrical performance of an InGaAs solar cell mechanically stacked under a dual junction AlGaAs/GaAs solar cell as a function of InGaAs combined emitter and base thickness.
Fig. 6
Fig. 6 Isoefficiency plot of the combined Si and InGaAs solar cell theoretical efficiencies (%) when stacked under an AlGaAs/GaAs dual junction solar cell as a function of Si (d1) and InGaAs (d2) thickness.
Fig. 7
Fig. 7 Efficiency versus solar intensity for each technology

Tables (3)

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Table 1 Semiconductor material properties

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Table 2 Simulated performance summary for 2-terminal multi-junction configurations

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Table 3 Simulated performance summary at 1-Sun illumination for each of the multi-junction technologies considered for integrating III-V and Si materials

Equations (7)

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PF(λ)= I o hc/λ Δλ.
J L = λ=280nm λ=2500nm qPF(λ)(1 e α(λ)x )Δλ .
J(V)= J o ( e qV/kT 1) J L .
I n (λ)= I n1 (λ) e α(λ) d n1 .
J o =q n 2 i ( D e N A L e + D h N D L h ).
V= i=1 n kT q [ ln( J i + J Li J oi +1) ] .
P max : d(JV) dJ =0.
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