Inverted metamorphic multijunction solar cell with metamorphic layers

US9356176B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• SOLAERO TECHNOLOGIES CORP. · US

Inventors

• Arthur Cornfeld · Sandia Park, US
• Pravin Patel · Albuquerque, US
• Mark A. Stan · Albuquerque, US
• Benjamin Cho · Albuquerque, US
• Paul R. Sharps · Albuquerque, US
• Daniel Aiken · Edgewood, US
• John Spann · Albuquerque, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 30, 2015
• Grant date: May 31, 2016
• Expiry date: Jul 30, 2035

Classification

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

Abstract

A multijunction solar cell having at least four solar subcells includes a first solar subcell having a first band gap. A first graded interlayer adjacent to the first solar subcell and has a second band gap greater than the first band gap and that is constant at 1.5 eV throughout the thickness of the first graded interlayer. A second solar subcell is adjacent to the first graded interlayer and has a third band gap smaller than the first band gap of the first solar subcell. The second solar subcell is lattice mismatched with respect to the first solar subcell. A second graded interlayer is adjacent to the second solar subcell and has a fourth band gap greater than the third band gap of the second solar subcell and that is constant at 1.1 eV throughout the thickness of the second graded interlayer. A third solar subcell is adjacent to the second graded interlayer and has a fifth band gap smaller than the third band gap of the second solar subcell. The third solar subcell is lattice mismatched with respect to the second solar subcell. Each of the first and second graded interlayers is composed, respectively, of a compositionally step-graded series of (InxGa1-x)yAl1-yAs layers with mon…