Inverted multijunction solar cells with distributed bragg reflector

US11063168B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• SOLAERO TECHNOLOGIES CORP. · US

Inventors

• Mark A. Stan · Albuquerque, US
• Arthur Cornfeld · Sandia Park, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 29, 2019
• Grant date: Jul 13, 2021
• Expiry date: Feb 7, 2040

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02P70/50

Abstract

An inverted metamorphic multijunction solar cell comprising: an upper first solar subcell having a first band gap; a middle second solar subcell disposed adjacent to the upper first solar subcell and having a second band gap smaller than said first band gap; a graded interlayer disposed adjacent to the middle second solar subcell and having a band gap that remains constant throughout its thickness; a lower third solar subcell disposed adjacent to said graded interlayer and having a fourth band gap that is smaller than said second band gap such that said third solar subcell is lattice mismatched with respect to said second solar subcell; a back surface field (BSF) layer disposed directly adjacent to the base layer of said lower third solar subcell; at least one distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) layer disposed directly adjacent to the back surface field (BSF) layer.