Multijunction III-V solar cells: recent and projected results
- Resource Type
- Conference
- Authors
- MacMillan, H.F.; Hamaker, H.C.; Virshup, G.F.; Werthen, J.G.
- Source
- Conference Record of the Twentieth IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conference Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, 1988., Conference Record of the Twentieth IEEE. :48-54 vol.1 1988
- Subject
- Photonics and Electrooptics
Components, Circuits, Devices and Systems
Engineered Materials, Dielectrics and Plasmas
Power, Energy and Industry Applications
III-V semiconductor materials
Photovoltaic cells
Photonic band gap
Indium gallium arsenide
Gallium arsenide
MOCVD
Costs
Current-voltage characteristics
Satellites
Photovoltaic systems
- Language
The authors discuss Varian's strategy for developing high-efficiency multijunction cells. Cell performance data are reviewed and compared to computer modeling performance projections for two and three-junction cascade cells. Results are presented for single-junction and multijunction monolithic structures fabricated with the AlGaAs-GaAs-InGaAs materials system grown by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition. The problems and progress for lattice-matched and lattice-mismatched structures and cell interconnects are discussed and assessed. It is concluded that the latest results are significant steps towards a demonstration of the viability of cascade cells. The hurdles to be overcome in an effort to achieve efficiencies above 30% are discussed.ETX