Method and apparatus of multiplejunction solar cell structure with high band gap heterojunction middle cell

US7071407B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• EMCORE CORPORATION · US

Inventors

• Navid Faterni · Albuquerque, US
• Daniel Aiken · Edgewood, US
• Mark A. Stan · Albuquerque, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 31, 2002
• Grant date: Jul 4, 2006
• Expiry date: Oct 31, 2022

Classification

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

Abstract

A method and a multijunction solar device having a high band gap heterojunction middle solar cell are disclosed. In one embodiment, a triple-junction solar device includes bottom, middle, and top cells. The bottom cell has a germanium (Ge) substrate and a buffer layer, wherein the buffer layer is disposed over the Ge substrate. The middle cell contains a heterojunction structure, which further includes an emitter layer and a base layer that are disposed over the bottom cell. The top cell contains an emitter layer and a base layer disposed over the middle cell.