Alta Devices, Inc.

University of California

Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC

Utica Leaseco, LLC

Nikhil Jain

Gang He

Brendan M Kayes

Lori D Washington

Andrew James Ritenour

Claudio Canizares

Ileana Rau

Myles Aaron Steiner

Ryan Matthew France

John Franz Geisz

Emmett Edward Perl

Tunnel junctions for multijunction solar cells are provided. According to an aspect of the invention, a tunnel junction includes a first layer including p-type AlGaAs, a second layer including n-type GaAs, wherein the second layer is a quantum well, and a third layer including n-type AlGaAs or n-type lattice matched AlGaInP. The quantum well can be GaAs or AlxGaAs with x being more than about 40%, and lattice matched GaInAsNSb in the Eg range of from about 0.8 to about 1.4 eV.

Tunnel junctions for multijunction solar cells

A growth structure having a lattice transition (or graded buffer) or an engineered growth structure with a desired lattice constant, different from a lattice constant of conventional substrates like GaAs, Si, Ge, InP, under a release layer or an etch stop layer is used as a seed crystal for growing optoelectronic devices. The optoelectronic device can be a photovoltaic device having one or more subcells (e.g., lattice-matched or lattice-mismatched subcells). The release layer can be removed using different processes to separate the optoelectronic device from the growth structure, which may be reused, or from the engineered growth structure. When using the etch stop layer, the growth structure or the engineered growth structure may be grinded or etched away. The engineered growth structure may be made from a layer transfer process between two wafers or from a ternary and/or a quaternary material. Methods for making the optoelectronic device are also described.

Optoelectronic devices manufactured using different growth substrates

Methods of manufacturing optoelectronic devices using different growth substrates

A thin film, flexible optoelectronic device is described. In an aspect, a method for fabricating a single junction optoelectronic device includes forming a p-n structure on a substrate, the p-n structure including a semiconductor having a lattice constant that matches a lattice constant of substrate, the semiconductor including a dilute nitride, and the single-junction optoelectronic device including the p-n structure; and separating the single-junction optoelectronic device from the substrate. The dilute nitride includes one or more of GaInNAs, GaInNAsSb, alloys thereof, or derivatives thereof.

Thin-film, flexible optoelectronic devices incorporating a single lattice-matched dilute nitride junction and methods of fabrication

A multi-junction optoelectronic device and method of fabrication are disclosed. In an aspect, the method includes forming a first p-n structure on a substrate, the first p-n structure including a semiconductor having a lattice constant that matches a lattice constant of the substrate; forming one or more additional p-n structures on the first p-n structure, each of the one or more additional p-n structures including a semiconductor having a lattice constant that matches the lattice constant of the substrate, the semiconductor of a last of the one or more additional p-n structures that is formed including a dilute nitride, and the multi-junction optoelectronic device including the first p-n structure and the one or more additional p-n structures; and separating the multi-junction optoelectronic device from the substrate. In some implementations, it is possible to have the dilute nitride followed by a group IV p-n structure.

Thin-film, flexible multi-junction optoelectronic devices incorporating lattice-matched dilute nitride junctions and methods of fabrication

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Sunnyvale, CA, United States of America

Nikhil Jain