Tunnel junctions for multijunction solar cells

US11527667B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignees

• Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC · US
• THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, A CALIFORNIA CORPORATION · US

Inventors

• Nikhil Jain · San Diego, US
• Myles Aaron Steiner · Denver, US
• John Franz Geisz · Wheat Ridge, US
• Emmett E. Perl · Santa Clara, US
• Ryan Matthew France · Golden, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Apr 27, 2018
• Grant date: Dec 13, 2022
• Expiry date: Jul 31, 2038

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02E10/544

Abstract

Tunnel junctions for multijunction solar cells are provided. According to an aspect of the invention, a tunnel junction includes a first layer including p-type AlGaAs, a second layer including n-type GaAs, wherein the second layer is a quantum well, and a third layer including n-type AlGaAs or n-type lattice matched AlGaInP. The quantum well can be GaAs or AlxGaAs with x being more than about 40%, and lattice matched GaInAsNSb in the Eg range of from about 0.8 to about 1.4 eV.