Collaborative Proposal: Novel Multijunction Solar Cells for Space and Terrestrial Applications

亚利桑那州立大学和圣母大学的这项合作研究项目的目标是探索新的多结太阳能电池设计，为空间和地面应用提供超高效率。该方法的智力优势是使用生长在GaSb上的晶格匹配的II/VI(MgCd)(Sete)和III/V(AlGaAsSb)材料系统来演示设计，增加了结的数量，以实现转换效率的突破。在器件演示之前，将集中非常大量的研究工作来研究II/VI(镁锌镉)(SETE)材料的掺杂。将探索各种兴奋剂来源和方法。在成功演示了p型和n型掺杂之后，将仔细研究p-n结和隧道结，然后将它们最终集成到新的器件设计中。将进行器件测试，将性能与理论预测进行比较。这项研究的更广泛影响包括了解所提出的新材料系统的特性及其在超高效多结太阳能电池中的应用，这不仅可以减少航天器发射有效载荷，还可以使地面聚光光伏系统将整体晶片需求和成本从目前的75%降至10%或更低。由于所提出的材料系统独特地提供了从UV到IR的非常宽的波长覆盖范围，它们还可以用于全色LED、多色光电探测器和其他光电子器件。该项目将培训1.5名博士生，并接触国内多结太阳能电池公司和当地社区。

The objective of this collaborative research project between Arizona State University and Notre Dame University is to explore novel multijunction solar cell designs that offer ultra-high efficiencies for both space and terrestrial applications.The intellectual merit of the approach is to use lattice-matched II/VI (MgZnCd)(SeTe) and III/V (AlGaAsSb) material systems grown on GaSb to demonstrate the designs with an increased number of junctions to realize breakthroughs in conversion efficiency. Before the device demonstration, very substantial research effort will be focused on the study of the doping in the II/VI (MgZnCd)(SeTe) materials. Various doping sources and methods will be explored. After the successful demonstration of both p- and n-types of doping, p-n junctions and tunnel junctions will be carefully studied before the final integration of them into new device designs. Device testing will be carried out to compare the performance with the theoretical predictions.The broader impacts of this study include the understanding of the properties of the proposed new material systems and their application to ultrahigh efficiency multijunction solar cells, which can not only reduce the spacecraft launch payload but also enable the terrestrial concentrating photovoltaics systems to minimize the overall wafer demand and cost, from currently 75% down to 10% or less. Since the proposed material systems uniquely offer very broad wavelength coverage, from UV to IR, they can also be used for full-color LEDs, multicolor photodetectors, and other optoelectronic devices. The program will train 1.5 Ph.D. students and reach out to domestic multi-junction solar cell companies and local communities.