Experimental improvement of concentrator LPE GaAs solar cells foroperation at 1000 suns with an efficiency of 26.2

摘要

Concentration using III-V solar cells is one of the bestapproaches to reduce PV costs. Consequently, the general purpose of thiswork is the achievement of the highest efficiency at 1000 suns with anenhanced LT-LPE (low temperature liquid phase epitaxy) growth methodpresenting several advantages such as low cost, lack of contaminants andeasy industrialisation. Results of different batches of GaAs LT-LPEterrestrial concentrator solar cells manufactured are presented,compared and thoroughly discussed. The study is focused on the variationof the semiconductor structure, manufacturing process and encapsulationthat resulted in an efficiency of 26.2% at 1004 suns (measured at NRELand assuming linearity of short-circuit current with irradiance). Thisefficiency is to our knowledge the highest in the world for a singlejunction solar cell at the 1000-2000 concentration range