Lattice matchable alloy for solar cells
AssigneeSolar Junction Corporation
InventorsRebecca Elizabeth Jones, Homan Bernard Yuen, Ting Liu, Pranob Misra
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Abstract
An alloy composition for a subcell of a solar cell is provided that has a bandgap of at least 0.9 eV, namely, Ga1-xInxNyAs1-y-zSbz with a low antimony (Sb) content and with enhanced indium (In) content and enhanced nitrogen (N) content, achieving substantial lattice matching to GaAs and Ge substrates and providing both high short circuit currents and high open circuit voltages in GaInNAsSb subcells for multijunction solar cells. The composition ranges for Ga1-xInxNyAs1-y-zSbz are 0.07≦x≦0.18, 0.025≦y≦0.04 and 0.001≦z≦0.03.
Claims14
A method for manufacturing a multijunction solar cell comprising:
- forming a first subcell comprising Ga1-xInxNyAs1-y-zSbz, wherein,
- the content levels are selected to achieve a bandgap from 0.9 eV to 1.1 eV;
- the content values for x, y, and z are within composition ranges as follows:
- 0.07≦x≦0.18, 0.025≦y≦0.04 and 0.001≦z≦0.03;
- the first subcell is characterized by a short circuit current Jsc greater than 13 mA/cm2 and an open circuit voltage Voc greater than 0.3 V when illuminated with a filtered 1 sun AM1.5D spectrum in which all light having an energy greater than the bandgap of GaAs is blocked;
- and
- forming at least one second subcell overlying the first subcell to form the multijunction solar cell.
A method for manufacturing a multijunction solar cell comprising:
- forming a first subcell comprising Ga1-xInxNyAs1-y-zSbz, wherein,
- the content levels are selected to achieve a bandgap from 0.9 eV to 1.1 eV;
- the content values for x, y, and z are within composition ranges as follows:
- 0.07≦x≦0.18, 0.025≦y≦0.04 and 0.001≦z≦0.03;
- the first subcell is characterized by a short circuit current Jsc greater than 13 mA/cm2 and an open circuit voltage Voc greater than 0.3 V when illuminated with a filtered 1 sun AM1.5D spectrum in which all light having an energy greater than the bandgap of GaAs is blocked;
- the first subcell is characterized by a thickness greater than 1 μm;
- and
- a base of the first subcell comprises p-type Ga1-xInxNxAs1-y-zSbz;
- and
- forming at least one second subcell overlying the first subcell to form the multijunction solar cell;
- forming the first subcell comprises substantially lattice matching the first subcell to a substrate;
- and
- the substrate is selected from Ge and GaAs.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.