Dilute Nitride GaNAsP for High Efficiency Multiband Solar Cells

用于高效多波段太阳能电池的稀氮化物 GaNAsP

• 批准号: 0907652
• 负责人: Charles Tu
• 金额: $ 34.5万
• 依托单位: University of California-San Diego
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2009
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2009-08-15 至 2012-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0907652&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Dilute; Nitride; GaNAsP; Efficiency; Multiband

Technical: This research project aims to improve the power conversion efficiency of solar cells by investigating a multiband material, a semiconductor with an intermediate band. Such a material has effectively three absorption bands and a single junction could be equivalent to a more complicated, but high-efficiency, three-junction solar cell. The growth and processing of such a material is a major challenge, along with understanding and modeling of a multiband solar cell. The emphasis of this project is on materials growth and processing of a particular class of materials, dilute nitride GaNAsP, which has an intermediate band so that electrons can be absorbed by below-bandgap photons, be excited to the intermediate band, and on to the conduction band providing current. These below-bandgap photo-excitations are in addition to the absorption of above-bandgap photons to excite electrons from the valence band to the conduction band directly. The PI, his students and collaborators at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory will study fundamental aspects of the growth, processing and characterization, with the aim toward greater understanding of fundamental materials science and optimization of the multiband material for solar cell applications. The approach includes fabrication and testing, in comparison with single-band solar cells. Greater understanding of the physical properties of such multiband semiconductors is expected as an outcome, advancing the field generally, and the performance of solar cells. Non-technical: This project addresses basic research issues in a topical area of materials science with high technological relevance. High-efficiency solar photovoltaic cells have broad potential impact on economy and human life through more efficient electrical energy generation. Compared to single-junction and multijunction solar cells, the multiband solar cells investigated in this project could provide significantly higher efficiency and lower cost. The research activities will promote interdisciplinary training for students in growth and characterization of novel compound semiconductors, prototype solar cell device design, and fabrication. Undergraduate students will also participate in the research project; they will be recruited from various sources, including the McNair Program, which serves low-income students and/or underrepresented minorities. The undergraduate students' activities will include advanced characterizations, such as atomic force microscopy, and participation in various undergraduate research conferences at UCSD. Additionally, the PI is the director of the COSMOS (California State Summer School for Mathematics and Science) residential summer program for 150 high school students. The results of this research project can be incorporated into the curriculum and extend to the high schools through the Teacher Fellow program of COSMOS.

技术：该研究项目旨在通过研究具有中间带的半导体的多型材料来提高太阳能电池的功率转换效率。这样的材料有效地具有三个吸收带，并且单个连接可能等效于更复杂但高效率的三个点太阳能电池。这种材料的生长和加工是一个主要挑战，以及对多频道太阳能电池的理解和建模。该项目的重点是材料的生长和特定类型材料的加工，稀释氮化物ganasp，该材料具有中间带，因此电子可以被低于频段的光子吸收，并激发到中间带，并在提供电流的传导带上。这些低于频段的光探测是，除了吸收频带的光子以直接从价带到传导带激发电子的吸收。国家可再生能源实验室的PI，他的学生和合作者将研究增长，加工和表征的基本方面，目的是进一步了解基本材料科学，并优化用于太阳能电池应用的多机材料。该方法包括制造和测试，与单波段太阳能电池相比。预计对这种多频道半导体的物理特性的更多了解是一种结果，通常会推进田地以及太阳能电池的性能。非技术：该项目解决了具有高技术相关性的材料科学主题领域的基础研究问题。高效太阳能光伏电池通过更有效的电能产生对经济和人类的生命具有广泛的潜在影响。与单个结和多期太阳能电池相比，该项目中研究的多频道太阳能电池可提供更高的效率和更低的成本。研究活动将促进学生在新型复合半导体，原型太阳能电池设备设计和制造方面的生长和表征方面的跨学科培训。本科生还将参加研究项目；它们将从各种来源招募，包括为低收入学生和/或代表性不足的少数群体提供服务的麦克奈尔计划。本科生的活动将包括高级特征，例如原子力显微镜，并参加UCSD的各种本科研究会议。此外，PI是Cosmos（加利福尼亚州立大学数学和科学暑期学校）的居民夏季计划的主任，适用于150名高中生。该研究项目的结果可以纳入课程中，并通过Cosmos的教师研究员计划扩展到高中。