Full Spectrum Photovoltaic Cells

The purpose of this project is to demonstrate the feasibility of using sputter deposition techniques to fabricate high efficiency (>50%) solar cell devices that convert sunlight to electricity using the full range of the visible spectrum. The approach will use the low cost, scalable and well characterized thin film deposition technique of sputtering to deposit solar cells with multiple energy bands onto low cost substrates. The solar cells will utilize a highly mismatched alloy system that allows for a single alloy to exhibit multiple band gaps. It has been shown previously that this material system can be grown with band gap energies that allow for photon absorption across the full range of the visible solar spectrum, allowing for conversion efficiencies of>50%.