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

在过去的几十年里，光伏技术的发展既提高了太阳能转换效率，又大大降低了每瓦成本。到2021年，全球可再生能源装机容量将超过600吉瓦，每年的装机率将超过100吉瓦，这种可再生能源技术的增长率正在稳步增长。该领域的技术领先者是基于硅光伏。该研究计划基于一种替代技术，使用传统上用于电信部门应用的高性能“III-V”半导体材料。使用这些材料的异质结构在集中的阳光下表现特别好（通常为100到1000倍），因此由于光学集中设置，最终减少了单位面积的材料使用量。NREL最新报道的转换效率记录是在143倍聚光下，使用6个结电池架构，达到47.1%。聚光光伏（CPV）系统因此依赖于聚光光学以及双轴跟踪器来保持光聚焦在聚光光伏电池上。这些系统，尽管它们的回收率非常高（钢，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，但其他关键部门，如电信，非光伏能源转换系统等。此外，达到50%的转换效率显然是全世界高度关注的科学目标。这个项目支持的工作将得到我的团队在过去15年里积累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制造基础设施。我们将开发高浓度电池（通常为1000倍）以及先进的处理方法，允许底物回收，从而将这些稀缺材料的使用量减少10-20倍。我们独特的定位集中在先进的微纳米制造专业知识上，与全球其他CPV集团互补，主要针对新材料架构。与非集中应用相比，稀缺半导体材料的使用将减少1万倍。除了CPV电池50%转换效率的竞争之外，这一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，高素质人才培训（4名博士和5名实习生）和一系列受益于CPV专业知识的目标领域，包括空间光伏领域的卫星和基于地球以外的光伏应用。

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.