Abstract
Four-junction solar cells are designed using lattice-matched II-VI (ZnCdSeTe) and III-V (AlGaAsSb) semiconductors grown on GaSb substrates. These materials have a zinc blende crystal structure, similar thermal expansion coefficients, and bandgaps that cover the entire solar spectrum. Numerical simulations of the energy conversion efficiencies of various designs for both the AMO and AM 1.5D spectra are performed using published material parameters. These results indicate that the achievable 1 sun AMO efficiency is 43% for an optimal design and 40% for a more practical design; for comparison the ideal limit provided by Henry's model is 49%. While for the AM 1.5D spectrum an optimal design can reach 46% under 1 sun and 55% under 1000 suns while a more practical design can reach 44 and 54%, respectively; for comparison Henry's model gives 51 and 62%, respectively.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 328-333 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Progress in Photovoltaics: Research and Applications |
| Volume | 18 |
| Issue number | 5 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Aug 2010 |
Keywords
- GaSb substrate
- Lattice-matched semiconductors
- Molecular beam epitaxy
- Multijunction solar cell
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
- Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Electrical and Electronic Engineering