High efficiency multi-junction solar cell

Details High efficiency multi-junction solar cell High efficiency multi-junction solar cell

1993-11-08

1995-04-11

Weisstuch, Aaron

Batteries: thermoelectric and photoelectric

Photoelectric

Panel or array

H01L 31068

Patent

active

054054532

ABSTRACT:
A high efficiency solar cell comprises: (a) a germanium substrate having a front surface and a back surface; (b) a back-metal contact on the back surface of the germanium substrate; (c) a first semiconductor cell comprising (1) a GaAs p-n junction formed from an n-GaAs and a p-GaAs layer, the n-GaAs layer formed on the front surface of the n-germanium substrate, and (2) a p-(Al,Ga)As window layer, the p-(Al,Ga)As window layer formed on the p-GaAs layer; (d) a tunnel diode comprising a GaAs p.sup.+ -n.sup.+ junction formed from a p.sup.+ -GaAs layer and an n.sup.+ -GaAs layer, the p.sup.+ -GaAs layer formed on the p-(Al,Ga)As window layer; and (e) a second semiconductor cell comprising (1) a (Ga,In)P p-n junction formed from an n-(Ga,In)P layer and a p-(Ga,In)P layer, the n(Ga,In)P layer formed on the n.sup.+ -GaAs layer of the tunnel diode, (2) a p-(Al,In)P window or contact layer formed on the p-(Ga,In)P layer, (3) metal grid lines contacting either the p-(Ga,In)P layer or the p-(Al,In)P layer, and (4) at least one anti-reflection coating layer covering the (Al,In)P layer. The cascade cell of the invention permits achieving actual efficiencies of over 23%.

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J. M. Olson et al, 18th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conf. (1985), pp. 552-555.
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