Monolithic multi-junction III-V solar cells with optimal 1 eV subcell

具有最佳 1 eV 子电池的单片多结 III-V 太阳能电池

• 批准号: 506727-2017
• 负责人: Moutanabbir, Oussama
• 金额: $ 16.3万
• 依托单位: École Polytechnique de Montréal
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Strategic Projects - Group
• 财政年份: 2019
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2019-01-01 至 2020-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=694622
• 关键词: Monolithic; multi; junction; III; solar

The interest in III-V multi-junction solar cells is currently driven by space applications, but the largest potential market for these cells is certainly terrestrial. In this regard, terrestrial concentrator systems utilizing high-efficiency III-V multi-junction solar cells have been increasingly considered for large-scale generation of electrical power. However, this long-sought for integration of III-V multi-junction solar cells in large-scale consumer applications depends on the ability to establish new scalable technologies with higher efficiencies and significant material cost saving. The state-of-the-art multi-junction solar cells are grown on bulk gallium arsenide (GaAs) or germanium (Ge) substrates, which are prohibitively expensive. To circumvent these technological bottlenecks, this project aims at designing, developing, and optimizing a novel monolithic III-V multi-junction solar cells with an optimal 1eV subcell. The key strategy here is to introduce silicon-germanium-thin (SiGeSn) semiconductor in the fabrication of III-V solar cells. The proposed design consists of InGaP/InGaAs/SiGeSn/Ge junctions. The fact that SiGeSn bandgap can be tuned around 1eV while being lattice-matched to Ge will enable an optimal absorption of solar spectrum, which is central to further enhance the conversion efficiency. Moreover, the fact that high-crystalline quality SiGeSn and Ge layers can be grown on silicon wafers will also eliminate the need for bulk Ge and enable the integration of the proposed solar cells onto mechanically robust and inexpensive Si handle substrates. This is key to achieve the cost-effectiveness necessary for the development of large-scale, terrestrial applications of III-V solar cell technologies.

目前对 III-V 多结太阳能电池的兴趣主要是由太空应用驱动的，但这些电池最大的潜在市场肯定是陆地。在这方面，利用高效 III-V 多结太阳能电池的地面聚光器系统已越来越多地被考虑用于大规模发电。然而，这种长期寻求的 III-V 多结太阳能电池在大规模消费应用中的集成取决于建立新的可扩展技术的能力，该技术具有更高的效率和显着的材料成本节省。最先进的多结太阳能电池生长在砷化镓 (GaAs) 或锗 (Ge) 基板上，这些基板的价格极其昂贵。为了克服这些技术瓶颈，该项目旨在设计、开发和优化一种具有最佳 1eV 子电池的新型单片 III-V 多结太阳能电池。这里的关键策略是在 III-V 太阳能电池的制造中引入硅锗薄 (SiGeSn) 半导体。所提出的设计由 InGaP/InGaAs/SiGeSn/Ge 结组成。事实上，SiGeSn 带隙可以调整到 1eV 左右，同时与 Ge 晶格匹配，这将实现太阳光谱的最佳吸收，这对于进一步提高转换效率至关重要。此外，高结晶质量的 SiGeSn 和 Ge 层可以在硅晶圆上生长，这一事实也将消除对体 Ge 的需求，并能够将所提出的太阳能电池集成到机械坚固且廉价的 Si 处理基板上。这是实现 III-V 太阳能电池技术大规模地面应用开发所需的成本效益的关键。