High voltage planar multijunction solar cell

US4341918A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration · US

Inventors

• John C. Evans · Midland, US
• An-Ti Chai · North Ridgeville, US
• Chandra P. Goradia · Cleveland, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 24, 1980
• Grant date: Jul 27, 1982
• Expiry date: Dec 24, 2000

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02E10/50

Abstract

A high voltage multijunction solar cell is provided wherein a plurality of discrete voltage generating regions or unit cells are formed in a single generally planar semiconductor body (12). The unit cells comprise a doped regions (20, 22) of opposite conductivity type separated by a gap or undiffused region (24). Metal contacts (26) connect adjacent cells together in series so that the output voltages of the individual cells are additive. In some embodiments, doped field regions (14) separated by gap (16) overlie the unit cells but the cells may be formed in both faces of the wafer (FIG. 2).