Indium-Phosphide, Quantum-Well Solar Cells

This Phase I proposal addresses the feasibility study of a new type of III-V solar cell for space applications. The realization of a two terminal (p-i-n) InP quantum well solar cell with the aim of achieving a highly efficient and radiation resistant device is proposed. The device is expected to operate with an open circuit voltage comparable to a conventional InP (p/n) solar cell while the absorption of the carriers in the multiquantum well intrinsic region is expected to provide an important increase in the device short circuit current. This device should exhibit an efficiency substantially larger than any existing conventional solar cell without the usual shortcomings of the high efficiency device schemes such as III-V tandem solar cell (process complexity, current matching, interconnection between subcells).