Emcore Solar Power, Inc.

Solaero Technologies Corp.

Emcore Corporation

Other

Paul R Sharps

Mark A Stan

Arthur Cornfeld

Benjamin Cho

Daniel James Aiken

Pravin Patel

John Y Spann

Hong Q Hou

Navid S Fatemi

Nein Y Li

Frank A Spadafora

Fred Newman

Doug Collins

Daniel McGlynn

Marvin Brad Clevenger

Yong Lin

Daniel Derkacs

Tansen Varghese

John Hart

Zachary Bittner

Jacqueline Diaz

Nathaniel Miller

Alexander Haas

Samantha Whipple

Marvin Bradford Clevenger

Arthur Comfeld

Robert Meck

Mark N Stan

A solar cell comprising a bulk germanium silicon growth substrate; a diffused photoactive junction in the germanium silicon substrate; and a sequence of subcells grown over the substrate, with the first grown subcell either being lattice matched or lattice mis-matched to the growth substrate.

Multijunction solar cells on bulk GeSi substrate

The disclosure describes multi-junction solar cell structures that include two or more graded interlayers.

Inverted metamorphic multijunction solar cell with multiple metamorphic layers

A multijunction solar cell includes an upper first solar subcell having a first band gap, a second solar subcell having a second band gap smaller than the first band gap, and a first graded interlayer composed of (InxGa1-x)yAl1-yAs adjacent to the second solar subcell. The first graded interlayer has a third band gap greater than the second band gap subject to the constraints of having the in-plane lattice parameter greater or equal to that of the second subcell and less than or equal to that of the third subcell, wherein 0&#x3c;x&#x3c;1 and 0&#x3c;y&#x3c;1, and x and y are selected such that the band gap of the first graded interlayer remains constant throughout its thickness at 1.5 eV. A third solar subcell is adjacent to the first graded interlayer and has a fourth band gap smaller than the second band gap such that the third subcell is lattice mismatched with respect to the second subcell. A second graded interlayer composed of (InxGa1-x)yAl1-yAs is adjacent to the third solar subcell and has a fifth band gap greater than the fourth band gap subject to the constraints of having the in-plane lattice parameter greater or equal to that of the third subcell and less than or equal to that of the bottom fourth subcell, wherein 0&#x3c;x&#x3c;1 and 0&#x3c;y&#x3c;1, and x and y are selected such that the band gap of the second graded interlayer remains constant throughout its thickness at 1.1 eV. A lower fourth solar subcell is adjacent to the second graded interlayer and has a sixth band gap smaller than the fourth band gap.

Inverted metamorphic multijunction solar cells including metamorphic layers

A multijunction solar cell includes an upper first solar subcell, a second solar subcell adjacent to the first solar subcell, a third solar subcell adjacent to the second solar subcell, and a graded interlayer adjacent to the third solar subcell. The graded interlayer has a band gap that is greater than the band gap of the third solar subcell and is composed of a compositionally step-graded series of (InGa)AlAs layers with monotonically changing lattice constant, with x and y having respective values such that the band gap of the graded interlayer remains constant throughout its thickness, and wherein 0&#x3c;x&#x3c;1 and 0&#x3c;y&#x3c;1. A fourth solar subcell is adjacent to the graded interlayer and is lattice mismatched with respect to the third solar subcell. The graded interlayer provides a transition in lattice constant from the third solar subcell to the fourth solar subcell. A lower fifth solar subcell is adjacent to the fourth solar subcell.

Inverted metamorphic multijunction solar cell including a metamorphic layer

The present disclosure provides a multijunction solar cell that includes: a first sequence of layers of semiconductor material forming a first set of one or more solar subcells; a graded interlayer adjacent to said first sequence of layers; a second sequence of layers of semiconductor material forming a second set of one or more solar subcells; and a high band gap contact layer adjacent said second sequence of layers, wherein the high band gap contact layer is composed of p++ type InGaAlAs or InGaAs.

Inverted metamorphic multijunction solar cell with a single metamorphic layer

A multijunction solar cell having at least four solar subcells includes a first solar subcell having a first band gap. A first graded interlayer adjacent to the first solar subcell and has a second band gap greater than the first band gap and that is constant at 1.5 eV throughout the thickness of the first graded interlayer. A second solar subcell is adjacent to the first graded interlayer and has a third band gap smaller than the first band gap of the first solar subcell. The second solar subcell is lattice mismatched with respect to the first solar subcell. A second graded interlayer is adjacent to the second solar subcell and has a fourth band gap greater than the third band gap of the second solar subcell and that is constant at 1.1 eV throughout the thickness of the second graded interlayer. A third solar subcell is adjacent to the second graded interlayer and has a fifth band gap smaller than the third band gap of the second solar subcell. The third solar subcell is lattice mismatched with respect to the second solar subcell. Each of the first and second graded interlayers is composed, respectively, of a compositionally step-graded series of (InGa)AlAs layers with monotonically changing lattice constant, with x and y having respective values such that the band gap of each interlayer remains constant throughout its thickness, and wherein 0&#x3c;x&#x3c;1 and 0&#x3c;y&#x3c;1.

Inverted metamorphic multijunction solar cell with metamorphic layers

A multijunction solar cell including an upper first solar subcell, and the base-emitter junction of the upper first solar subcell being a homojunction; a second solar subcell adjacent to said first solar subcell; a third solar subcell adjacent to said second solar subcell. A first graded interlayer is provided adjacent to said third solar subcell. A fourth solar subcell is provided adjacent to said first graded interlayer, said fourth subcell is lattice mismatched with respect to said third subcell. A second graded interlayer is provided adjacent to said fourth solar subcell; and a lower fifth solar subcell is provided adjacent to said second graded interlayer, said lower fifth subcell is lattice mismatched with respect to said fourth subcell.

Inverted metamorphic multijunction solar cell with two metamorphic layers and homojunction top cell

A multijunction solar cell including an upper first solar subcell having a first band gap; a second solar subcell adjacent to the first solar subcell and having a second band gap smaller than the first band gap; a graded interlayer adjacent to the second solar subcell, the graded interlayer having a third band gap greater than the second band gap; and a third solar subcell adjacent to the graded interlayer, the third subcell having a fourth band gap smaller than the second band gap such that the third subcell is lattice mismatched with respect to the second subcell. A lower fourth solar subcell is provided adjacent to the third subcell and lattice matched thereto, the lower fourth subcell having a fifth band gap smaller than the fourth band gap.

Four junction inverted metamorphic multijunction solar cell with a single metamorphic layer

A solar cell having a first subcell including a germanium (Ge) substrate having a diffusion region doped with n-type dopants including phosphorus and arsenic, wherein the upper portion of such diffusion region has a higher concentration of phosphorus (P) atoms than arsenic (As) atoms, and a second subcell including a layer of either gallium arsenide (GaAs) or indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs) disposed over the substrate.

Multijunction solar cell with two step diffusion region in substrate

Methods of fabricating multijunction solar cells that may include providing a substrate, and depositing a nucleation first layer over and directly in contact with the substrate. The methods may also include depositing a second layer containing an arsenic dopant over the nucleation layer. The nucleation layer may serve as a diffusion barrier to the arsenic dopant such that diffusion of the arsenic dopant into the substrate is limited in depth by the nucleation layer. The methods may also include depositing a sequence of layers over the second layer forming at least one solar subcell.

Method of fabricating a multijunction solar cell

A system for generating electrical power from solar radiation utilizing a thin film III-V compound multijunction semiconductor solar cell mounted on a support in a non-planar configuration is disclosed herein.

Solar power system for space vehicles or satellites using inverted metamorphic multijunction solar cells

A system for generating electrical power from solar radiation utilizing a thin film III-V compound multijunction semiconductor solar cell mounted on a support in a non-planar configuration.

Terrestrial solar power system using III-V semiconductor solar cells

Apparatus and Method for Optimizing the Efficiency of a Bypass Diode in Solar Cells. In a preferred embodiment, a layer of TiAu is placed in an etch in a solar cell with a contact at a doped layer of GaAs. Electric current is conducted through a diode and away from the main cell by passing through the contact point at the GaAs and traversing a lateral conduction layer. These means of activating, or 'turning on' the diode, and passing the current through the circuit results in greater efficiencies than in prior art devices. The diode is created during the manufacture of the other layers of the cell and does not require additional manufacturing.

Multijunction solar cell with a bypass diode

A solar cell includes a semiconductor substrate and a sequence of semiconductor layers disposed over the substrate. The sequence of semiconductor layers includes a semiconductor window layer. The solar cell also includes a semiconductor silicon-containing cap layer over the window layer. The cap layer is spatially separated from the window layer by a semiconductor barrier layer that either includes no silicon or has a silicon concentration that is significantly lower than the silicon concentration of the cap layer.

Growing community of inventors

Alburquerque, NM, United States of America

Paul R Sharps