InP-Based Tunnel Junctions for Microconcentrator Photovoltaics

To further improve the performance of mechanically stacked microconcentrator photovoltaic devices, we have studied high-transparency tunnel junctions for inclusion in triple junction solar cells that are fully lattice-matched to InP. These tunnel junctions are evaluated using both standalone tunnel...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:IEEE journal of photovoltaics 2023-11, Vol.13 (6), p.819-824
Main Authors: Schmieder, Kenneth J., Mood, Thomas C., Armour, Eric A., Bennett, Mitchell F., Stevens, Margaret A., Diaz, Martin, Pulwin, Ziggy, Lumb, Matthew P.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aerospace environments
Electrical junctions
III-V semiconductor materials
Indium phosphide
Indium phosphides
Junctions
Lattice matching
Performance evaluation
Photovoltaic cells
Photovoltaic systems
semiconductor growth
Solar cells
Tunnel diodes
Tunnel junctions
Tunneling
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Summary:To further improve the performance of mechanically stacked microconcentrator photovoltaic devices, we have studied high-transparency tunnel junctions for inclusion in triple junction solar cells that are fully lattice-matched to InP. These tunnel junctions are evaluated using both standalone tunnel diodes as well as full multijunction solar cells. Of particular focus herein is the p-type tunnel junction layer, which has proven challenging to integrate in multijunction solar cells with high electrical activity, a wide enough bandgap for transparency, and an abrupt doping profile. Studies include the effect of polarity, tunnel diode dopant/composition, application of a nitrogen anneal, tunnel diode growth temperature, and cladding material. Resulting InP-based triple junction devices achieved up to 370 suns-equivalent tunneling capability, which satisfies the requirements for microconcentrator photovoltaic applications in the space environment.
ISSN:2156-3381
2156-3403
DOI:10.1109/JPHOTOV.2023.3309916