IGF::OT::IGF THE PROPOSED INNOVATION IS THE DEVELOPMENT OF A TECHNOLOGY THAT WILL ENABLE THE MANUFACTURE OF…

Public award description

IGF::OT::IGF THE PROPOSED INNOVATION IS THE DEVELOPMENT OF A TECHNOLOGY THAT WILL ENABLE THE MANUFACTURE OF HIGH-EFFICIENCY (>40%), QUADRUPLE(4) JUNCTION SOLAR CELLS ON LIGHTWEIGHT GE SUBSTRATES. WE PLAN TO ACHIEVE THIS OBJECTIVE BY DEVELOPING A NEW SEMICONDUCTOR ALLOY, INGAASN, WHICH WILL BE EMPLOYED AS THE 1.18 EV BOTTOM CELL IN QUADRUPLE-JUNCTION [INGAP (1.8 EV) / GAINAS P(1.5 EV) / INGAASN (1.18 EV) / GE (0.67EV)] SOLAR CELLS. THE INGAASN ALLOY MATERIAL WILL BE LATTICE MATCHED TO GE, WHICH IS A CLEAR IMPROVEMENT OVER EXISTING INVERTED METAMORPHIC (IMM) TECHNOLOGY, SPECIFICALLY, THE EXISTING LATTICE-MISMATCHED INGAAS 1.0 EV BOTTOM CELL IS REPLACED WITH A LATTICE-MATCHED INGAASN 1.18 EV BOTTOM CELL. THIS ELIMINATES THE NEED TO GROW A THICK GRADED BUFFER LAYER. ANOTHER ADVANTAGE OF THIS SYSTEM IS HIGHER EFFICIENCY AND HIGHER RELIABILITY SOLAR CELLS WHICH CAN EFFECTIVELY BE A DROP IN REPLACEMENT TO THE EXISTING GE BASED SPACE CELLS. AT THE END OF THIS PROJECT, WE EXPECT TO HAVE DEVELOPED AND INTEGRATED INGAASN - 1.18 EV MATERIAL, WHICH CAN BE USED IN GE-BASED MULTI-JUNCTION CELLS THAT HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO ACHIEVE EFFICIENCIES IN EXCESS OF 40% AT AM0, ONE SUN ILLUMINATION.