III-V optoelectronic devices nanofabrication for next generation concentrated photovoltaics (CPV)

过去几十年来，光伏（PV）技术的发展导致了更高的太阳能转换效率和更低的每瓦成本。2021年全球装机容量超过600吉瓦，每年装机量超过100吉瓦，这一可再生能源技术的增长率正在稳步上升。这一领域的技术领导者是基于硅光伏。 该研究计划基于一种替代技术，该技术使用传统上用于电信行业应用的高性能“III-V”半导体材料。使用这些材料的光伏异质结构在聚光太阳光（通常为100至1000倍）下表现得特别好，因此由于聚光装置，每单位面积的材料使用量减少。NREL最新报道的转换效率记录是在143倍集中阳光下，使用6结电池架构，转换效率为47.1%。 因此，聚光光伏（CPV）系统依赖于聚光光学器件以及双轴跟踪器来保持光聚焦到CPV电池上。尽管这些系统的回收率非常高（钢铁、铝、玻璃），但比传统的光伏系统更昂贵，因此CPV目前的市场份额很小。从科学的角度来看，所有III-V技术的发展将影响多个工业部门，当然包括CPV，但也包括其他关键部门，如电信，非光伏能源转换系统等。该计划支持的工作将得到我的团队在过去15年中开发的坚实专业知识的支持，并通过舍布鲁克大学和国际合作获得卓越的微纳米纤维基础设施。我们将开发高浓度电池（通常为1000倍）以及先进的加工方法，允许episubstrates回收，从而将这些稀缺材料的使用减少10- 20倍。我们独特的定位是以先进的微纳米纤维专业知识为中心，与全球其他主要针对新材料架构的CPV集团相辅相成。与非集中式应用相比，稀缺半导体材料的使用将减少10000倍。这些专业知识还将在许多方面影响加拿大在III-V材料方面的领导地位，超越CPV电池50%转换效率的竞争，高素质人才培训（4名博士和5名实习生）以及多个目标领域受益于CPV以外的专业知识，包括卫星和超越地球行星的光伏应用的空间光伏部门。

The photovolatics (PV) technology evolution over the last decades led to both higher sun energy conversion efficiency and much lowered cost per watt. With over 600 GW capacity installed worldwide in 2021 and an installation rate greater than 100GW per year, this renewable energy technology growth rate is increasing steadily. The technological leader in this field is based on silicon PV. This research program is based on an alternative technology using high performance "III-V" semiconductor materials traditionally found in telecommunications sector applications. The heterostructures using these materials for PV perform particularly well under concentrated sunlight (100 to 1000x typically) and thus ends up into reduced materials usage per unit area thanks to the optical concentrating setups. The latest reported record conversion efficiency by NREL is at 47.1% under 143 x concentrated sunlight, using 6 junction cell architectures. Concentrated Photovoltaics (CPV) systems thus rely on concentrated optics as well as dual axis trackers to keep light focused onto CPV cells. These systems, despite their very high recycling rate (steal, aluminum, glass), are more expensive than traditional PV systems and thus CPV currently has a marginal market share. From the scientific standpoint, all III-V technology developments will impact multiple industrial sectors including of course CPV but other critical sectors such as telecommunications, non-PV energy conversion systems etc. Also reaching 50% conversion efficiency is clearly a scientific target of high interest worldwide. The work supported by this program will be backed by a solid expertise developed within my group over the past 15 years and access to exceptional micro-nanofabrication infrastructures both at the Université de Sherbrooke and through international collaborations. We will develop high concentration cells (1000x typically) as well as advanced processing methods allowing for episubstrates recycling thus reducing by a factor of 10-20x these scarce materials usages. Our distinctive positioning is centered on advanced micro-nanofabrication expertise complementary to other CPV groups worldwide targeting mainly new material architectures. It will end up in 10 000 x reduction factor regarding scarce semiconductors materials usage compared to non concentrated applications. This know-how will also impact the Canadian leadership on III-V materials in many ways beyond the competition for 50% conversion efficiency of CPV cells, with Highly Qualified People training (4 PhDs and 5 interns) and a multiple set of targeted areas benefitting from this expertise beyond CPV, including the space PV sector for both satellites and beyond earth planet based PV applications.