Physics of quantum well solar cells

N. J. Ekins-Daukes; J. Adams; I. M. Ballard; K. W. J. Barnham; B. Browne; J. P. Connolly; T. Tibbits; G. Hill; J. S. Roberts

doi:10.1117/12.816946

24 February 2009 Physics of quantum well solar cells

N. J. Ekins-Daukes, J. Adams, I. M. Ballard, K. W. J. Barnham, B. Browne, J. P. Connolly, T. Tibbits, G. Hill, J. S. Roberts

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Proceedings Volume 7211, Physics and Simulation of Optoelectronic Devices XVII; 72110L (2009) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.816946
Event: SPIE OPTO: Integrated Optoelectronic Devices, 2009, San Jose, California, United States

Abstract

Incorporating quantum wells into multi-junction III-V solar cells provides a means of adjusting the absorption edge of the component junctions. Further, by using alternating compressive and tensile materials, a strain-balanced stack of quantum well and barrier layers can be grown, defect free, providing absorption-edge / lattice parameter combinations that are inaccessible using bulk materials. Incomplete absorption in the quantum wells has been addressed using a distributed Bragg reflector, extending the optical path length through the cell and enabling photon recycling to take place. State of the art single-junction quantum well solar cells have now reached an efficiency of 27.3% under 500X solar concentration and are projected to reach 34% in a double junction configuration.

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N. J. Ekins-Daukes, J. Adams, I. M. Ballard, K. W. J. Barnham, B. Browne, J. P. Connolly, T. Tibbits, G. Hill, and J. S. Roberts "Physics of quantum well solar cells", Proc. SPIE 7211, Physics and Simulation of Optoelectronic Devices XVII, 72110L (24 February 2009); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.816946

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