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US 6,147,296 AGranted
Multi-quantum well tandem solar cell
AssigneeUniversity of Houston
InventorAlexandre Freundlich
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A two-terminal tandem solar cell is provided. The inclusion of thin (few nm-thick) narrow band-gap InGaAs quantum wells in the intrinsic (i) region of the conventional p-i-n GaAs solar cell extends the photo-absorption of the conventional GaInP/GaAs tandem cell toward the infrared. Beginning-of-Life efficiencies in excess of 30% are predicted. Modeling data indicate end-of-life efficiency of these cells will exceed 25% AM0.
Claims3
A semiconductor photovoltaic energy conversion cell of the p-i-n or n-i-p junction type, comprising:
- a substrate lattice-matched to gallium arsenide;
- a gallium arsenide base;
- an intrinsic region having a plurality of quantum wells therein, each quantum well being comprised of indium gallium arsenide and having a thickness, the total number of quantum wells being greater than one and less than thirty;
- an emitter region comprised of gallium arsenide;
- and
- electrical contacts to the base and emitter region.
3 more elements
A semiconductor photovoltaic energy conversion device, comprising:
- a plurality of conversion cells, the cells being of the p-i-n or n-i-p junction type and being electrically connected in a tandem configuration;
- a lower subcell, the lower subcell having a base, the base being gallium arsenide, an intrinsic region, the intrinsic region having a plurality of quantum wells therein, the quantum wells being comprised of indium gallium arsenide and having a thickness selected to avoid lattice relaxation,
- an emitter, the emitter being gallium arsenide;
- an upper subcell, the upper subcell being gallium indium phosphide;
- and
- electrical contacts to the base of the lower subcell and the emitter region of the upper subcell.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.