Memorias de investigación
Book chapters:
Very high concentration challenges of III-V multijunction solar cells
Year:2007

Research Areas
  • Electronics engineering

Information
Abstract
This chapter focuses on the challenges that III-V Multi-Junction Cells (MJCs) must face when operating at very high concentrations inside optical concentrators. Only monolithically grown MJCs will be considered because, in the opinion of the author, although mechanically stacked MJCs are able to achieve higher efficiencies (with the subsequent interest in their technological development) they will not be cost competitive. The reason for this is the use of two or more semiconductor substrates as well as the strict optical alignment requirements between the stacked cells that lead to a very complicated manufacturing process. Although both issues could be overcome in the future, the present situation is that all the attempts to commercialize concentrator PV modules are based on monolithically grown MJCs Consequently, the first section of this chapter is devoted to the analysis of the MJC¿s operation under real conditions. A description of the real operation factors limiting the MJC¿s performance, such as non-uniform illumination impinging on the cell, paying special attention to the tunnel junction performance and its influence on the effects caused by series resistance, are presented. The second section is devoted to a specific approach able to circumvent the aforementioned effects: ¿the LED-like approach¿. Finally, the third section presents a cost analysis of complete PV installations based on modules including MJCs manufactured following the ¿LED-like approach¿.
International
Si
Book Edition
0
Book Publishing
Springer
ISBN
978-3-540-68796-2
Series
130
Book title
Concentrator Photovoltaics
From page
89
To page
112
Participants

Research Group, Departaments and Institutes related
  • Creador: Grupo de Investigación: Semiconductores III-V
  • Centro o Instituto I+D+i: Instituto de Energía Solar
  • Departamento: Electrónica Física