Single and multi-junction solar cells utilizing a 1.0 eV SiGeSn junction

Wilson, Terence; Thomas, Tomos; Führer, M.; Ekins-Daukes, N. J.; Roucka, Radek; Clark, Andrew; Johnson, Andrew; Hoffman, Rick; Begarney, David

doi:10.1063/1.4962096

Cited by 11 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…The lower current value calculated in our simulation, and therefore, the lower efficiency value can be mainly attributed to the utilization of a SiO 2 /Ta 2 O 5 coating instead of the MgF2/ZnS one, as utilized in Wilson et al Since the SiO 2 /Ta 2 O 5 planar coating did not show optimized reflectance values in the wavelength range where the SiGeSn and Ge sub cells are active, this condition forced to limit the thickness of the InGaP and InGaAs junctions and then the overall current. It is straightforward to check that by assuming the same MgF 2 /ZnS coating, in order to reach the same current density measured by Wilson et al and preserving the high fill factor value obtained in our simulation (by considering an InGaAs limited QJ cell), our calculation would show an efficiency value potentially over 50%, in agreement with the simulation reported by Kurtz et al and by Geisz and Friedman on QJ cells with a 1‐eV E g third junction. Overcoming the 50% efficiency threshold is of course a major goal for present‐day research on MJ solar cells.…”

Section: Simulation Of the Performances Of Ingap/ingaas/sigesn/ge Solsupporting

confidence: 89%

“…The performance obtained on the 2T InGaP/InGaAs/SiGeSn/Ge QJ has also been compared with those published by Wilson at al, under AM1.5D illumination at 1000 sun concentration and considering a 4% grid shadowing. The one‐sun current density and efficiency values calculated in were respectively 13.9 mA/cm 2 and 48.6% versus 12.5 mA/cm 2 and 45.1 % calculated in this contribution. The lower current value calculated in our simulation, and therefore, the lower efficiency value can be mainly attributed to the utilization of a SiO 2 /Ta 2 O 5 coating instead of the MgF2/ZnS one, as utilized in Wilson et al Since the SiO 2 /Ta 2 O 5 planar coating did not show optimized reflectance values in the wavelength range where the SiGeSn and Ge sub cells are active, this condition forced to limit the thickness of the InGaP and InGaAs junctions and then the overall current.…”

Section: Simulation Of the Performances Of Ingap/ingaas/sigesn/ge Solmentioning

confidence: 51%

Section: Simulation Of the Performances Of Ingap/ingaas/sigesn/ge Solmentioning

confidence: 94%

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A new theoretical approach for the performance simulation of multijunction solar cells

Timò

Martinelli²,

Andreani

2020

Progress in Photovoltaics

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A new theoretical approach is proposed for the performance simulation of multijunction (MJ) solar cells, starting from the weakness and strength of the Hovel model and of the transfer matrix method for describing the propagation of electromagnetic waves inside the solar cell structure. It is based on the scattering matrix method (SMM) and on a simplified generation function that allow describing with good accuracy the propagation of electromagnetic waves in the solar cell device, preserving, at the same time, the possibility of getting simple analytical solutions of the continuity equations. The numerical stability of the new theoretical approach is first demonstrated on triple junction InGaP/InGaAs/Ge solar cells, in which the Ge substrate is considered as the last layer (layer N) and then as the N‐1 layer. Further, the new theoretical approach is applied to simulate the performance of thin quadruple junction (QJ) InGaP/InGaAs/SiGeSn/Ge solar cells, in two‐ and three‐terminal configurations. Efficiency values of up to 45.1% and 44.9%, respectively, have been simulated at 1000× concentration, by considering the MJ limited by the InGaAs subcell. Finally, it is estimated that the QJ InGaP/InGaAs/SiGeSn/Ge solar cell has the potential to reach efficiencies over 50% by assuming proper antireflective coatings.

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Section: Simulation Of the Performances Of Ingap/ingaas/sigesn/ge Solsupporting

confidence: 89%

Section: Simulation Of the Performances Of Ingap/ingaas/sigesn/ge Solmentioning

confidence: 51%

Section: Simulation Of the Performances Of Ingap/ingaas/sigesn/ge Solmentioning

confidence: 94%

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A new theoretical approach for the performance simulation of multijunction solar cells

Timò

Martinelli²,

Andreani

2020

Progress in Photovoltaics

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“…Initially, the SiGeSn alloys were grown with an ultra-high vacuum CVD on 4-inch Ge (100) substrates, with a miscut of 6° towards the <111> plane to reduce the formation of anti-phase boundaries in the subsequent MOCVD growth [6]. Before the 1.0 eV SiGeSn layer, a highly doped SiGeSn acting as back surface field was grown in order to limit the diffusion of minority carriers into the Ge inactive substrate [5].…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Multijunction solar cells incorporating group IV SiGeSn alloys

Caño

Lombardero

Rey‐Stolle

et al. 2017

2017 Spanish Conference on Electron Devices (CDE)

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Abstract-In order to get higher efficiencies in multijunction solar cells, a leV material lattice matched to germanium has been searched tenaciously for years. In this context, a hybrid III-V/IV multijunction and single junction solar cells incorporating leV SiGeSn alloy are presented. A basic characterization of these solar cells, which has been grown by CVD and subsequent MOCVD, has been carried out.

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“…Furthermore, this ternary material can be used as an intermediate buffer layer to realize monolithic III-V structure on silicon substrate, paving the path for next generation low cost MJ devices [13]. In spite of these encouraging prospective, the most recent integrations of SiGeSn with III-V for MJ solar cells have been accomplished by using two different growth equipment: a CVD reactor for the growth of SiGeSn and a MOVPE growth chamber for the deposition of the remaining part of the cell structure [14], [15]. The reason for such a choice is mostly due to the "cross contamination" among the III-V elements and the IV elements of the periodic table [16].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

MOVPE SiGeSn development for the next generation four junction solar cells

Timò¹,

Abagnale²,

Armani³

et al. 2018

AIP Conference Proceedings

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The Multijunction (MJ) monolithic approach is very attractive for a competitive concentrating photovoltaic (CPV) technology; it has been successfully applied for InGaP/GaInAs/Ge triple-junction structures but it is more difficult to be exploited for manufacturing 4-junction solar cells, in particular when III-V and IV elements are both used. So far, the integration of the 1 eV SiGeSn material in the lattice-matched InGaP/GaInAs/Ge triple-junction structure has required the utilization of two different growth apparatus, nearly losing the economic advantage of the monolithic architecture, owing to the related higher capital expenditure. The central technical challenge for realizing InGaP/GaInAs/SiGeSn/Ge solar cell at low cost, with an industrial approach, lies in the growth of III-V and IV elements in the same MOVPE equipment, by solving the "cross contamination" problem among the III-V elements and the IV elements. In this contribution, for the first time, the results of the investigation concerning the growth of SiGe(Sn) and III-V compounds in the same MOVPE growth chamber are presented. The epitaxial layers have been characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM, EDX, SIMS and ECV profiling. It is eventually shown that by starting from a modification of the MOVPE equipment and by setting up proper growth condition the contamination of III-V elements in IV based materials can be drastically reduced from 10 20 cm-3 to 2*10 17 cm-3 , while the contamination of IV elements in III-V compounds can be reduced from 4-5*10 17 cm-3 to 6*10 16-3*10 14 cm-3 depending on the substrate used.

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Single and multi-junction solar cells utilizing a 1.0 eV SiGeSn junction

Cited by 11 publications

References 12 publications

A new theoretical approach for the performance simulation of multijunction solar cells

A new theoretical approach for the performance simulation of multijunction solar cells

Multijunction solar cells incorporating group IV SiGeSn alloys

MOVPE SiGeSn development for the next generation four junction solar cells

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