IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/nat/natene/v5y2020i4d10.1038_s41560-020-0598-5.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Six-junction III–V solar cells with 47.1% conversion efficiency under 143 Suns concentration

Author

Listed:
  • John F. Geisz

    (National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL))

  • Ryan M. France

    (National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL))

  • Kevin L. Schulte

    (National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL))

  • Myles A. Steiner

    (National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL))

  • Andrew G. Norman

    (National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL))

  • Harvey L. Guthrey

    (National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL))

  • Matthew R. Young

    (National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL))

  • Tao Song

    (National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL))

  • Thomas Moriarty

    (National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL))

Abstract

Single-junction flat-plate terrestrial solar cells are fundamentally limited to about 30% solar-to-electricity conversion efficiency, but multiple junctions and concentrated light make much higher efficiencies practically achievable. Until now, four-junction III–V concentrator solar cells have demonstrated the highest solar conversion efficiencies. Here, we demonstrate 47.1% solar conversion efficiency using a monolithic, series-connected, six-junction inverted metamorphic structure operated under the direct spectrum at 143 Suns concentration. When tuned to the global spectrum, a variation of this structure achieves a 1-Sun global efficiency of 39.2%. Nearly optimal bandgaps for six junctions were fabricated using alloys of III–V semiconductors. To develop these junctions, it was necessary to minimize threading dislocations in lattice-mismatched III–V alloys, prevent phase segregation in metastable quaternary III–V alloys and understand dopant diffusion in complex structures. Further reduction of the series resistance within this structure could realistically enable efficiencies over 50%.

Suggested Citation

  • John F. Geisz & Ryan M. France & Kevin L. Schulte & Myles A. Steiner & Andrew G. Norman & Harvey L. Guthrey & Matthew R. Young & Tao Song & Thomas Moriarty, 2020. "Six-junction III–V solar cells with 47.1% conversion efficiency under 143 Suns concentration," Nature Energy, Nature, vol. 5(4), pages 326-335, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natene:v:5:y:2020:i:4:d:10.1038_s41560-020-0598-5
    DOI: 10.1038/s41560-020-0598-5
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41560-020-0598-5
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1038/s41560-020-0598-5?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Zheng, Likai & Xuan, Yimin, 2021. "Performance estimation of a V-shaped perovskite/silicon tandem device: A case study based on a bifacial heterojunction silicon cell," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 301(C).
    2. Costas Prouskas & Angelos Mourkas & Georgios Zois & Elefterios Lidorikis & Panos Patsalas, 2022. "A New Type of Architecture of Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells as an Alternative Pathway to Outdoor Photovoltaics," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-14, March.
    3. Duc Tu Vu & Ngoc Minh Kieu & Tran Quoc Tien & Thanh Phuong Nguyen & Hoang Vu & Seoyong Shin & Ngoc Hai Vu, 2022. "Solar Concentrator Bio-Inspired by the Superposition Compound Eye for High-Concentration Photovoltaic System up to Thousands Fold Factor," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-24, May.
    4. Betz, Ulrich A.K. & Arora, Loukik & Assal, Reem A. & Azevedo, Hatylas & Baldwin, Jeremy & Becker, Michael S. & Bostock, Stefan & Cheng, Vinton & Egle, Tobias & Ferrari, Nicola & Schneider-Futschik, El, 2023. "Game changers in science and technology - now and beyond," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 193(C).
    5. Abdelrahman Lashin & Mohammad Al Turkestani & Mohamed Sabry, 2020. "Performance of a Thermoelectric Generator Partially Illuminated with Highly Concentrated Light," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(14), pages 1-12, July.
    6. Guanheng Fan & Yiqun Zhang & Xiangfei Ji & Yang Yang, 2022. "Two-Layer Ring Truss-Based Space Solar Power Station," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-21, April.
    7. Zuo, Jianyong & Dong, Liwei & Yang, Fan & Guo, Ziheng & Wang, Tianpeng & Zuo, Lei, 2023. "Energy harvesting solutions for railway transportation: A comprehensive review," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 202(C), pages 56-87.
    8. Badr, Farouk & Radwan, Ali & Ahmed, Mahmoud & Hamed, Ahmed M., 2022. "An experimental study of the concentrator photovoltaic/thermoelectric generator performance using different passive cooling methods," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 185(C), pages 1078-1094.
    9. Jhuma Sadhukhan & Bruno G. Pollet & Miles Seaman, 2022. "Hydrogen Production and Storage: Analysing Integration of Photoelectrolysis, Electron Harvesting Lignocellulose, and Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide-Fixing Biosynthesis," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(15), pages 1-13, July.
    10. L. Cabezón & L. G. B. Ruiz & D. Criado-Ramón & E. J. Gago & M. C. Pegalajar, 2022. "Photovoltaic Energy Production Forecasting through Machine Learning Methods: A Scottish Solar Farm Case Study," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(22), pages 1-14, November.
    11. Khan, Firoz & Rezgui, Béchir Dridi & Khan, Mohd Taukeer & Al-Sulaiman, Fahad, 2022. "Perovskite-based tandem solar cells: Device architecture, stability, and economic perspectives," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 165(C).
    12. Alessio Bosio & Gianluca Foti & Stefano Pasini & Donato Spoltore, 2023. "A Review on the Fundamental Properties of Sb 2 Se 3 -Based Thin Film Solar Cells," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(19), pages 1-28, September.
    13. Chee, A. Kuan-Way, 2023. "On current technology for light absorber materials used in highly efficient industrial solar cells," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    14. Ricardo A. Marques Lameirinhas & João Paulo N. Torres & João P. de Melo Cunha, 2022. "A Photovoltaic Technology Review: History, Fundamentals and Applications," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-44, March.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:nat:natene:v:5:y:2020:i:4:d:10.1038_s41560-020-0598-5. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.nature.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.