Multijunction photovoltaic cell with thin 1st (top) subcell and thick 2nd subcell of same or similar semiconductor material
US6316715A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 15, 2000 |
| Grant date | Nov 13, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 15, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02E10/547
Abstract
A multijunction photovoltaic cell comprises a first subcell that initially receives incident light upon the photovoltaic cell, with the first subcell being made of a first material system, having a first thickness, and producing a first photogenerated current output. A second subcell receives the incident light after the first subcell receives the incident light, with the second subcell being disposed immediately adjacent the first subcell. The second subcell is made of the first material system or a similar semiconductor material, has a second thickness that is greater than the first thickness, and produces a second photogenerated current output that is substantially equal in amount to the first photogenerated current output. A tunnel junction is disposed between the first and second subcells. The multijunction cell provides a greater ability to current match to low-current-producing subcells, higher multijunction cell voltage, lower series resistance, and greater radiation resistance.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.