III-V nanowire solar cells

R. R. LaPierre

doi:10.1117/12.906022

14 December 2011 III-V nanowire solar cells

R. R. LaPierre

Proceedings Volume 8312, Display, Solid-State Lighting, Photovoltaics, and Optoelectronics in Energy III; 831203 (2011) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.906022
Event: SPIE/OSA/IEEE Asia Communications and Photonics, 2011, Shanghai, China

Abstract

The continuity and Poisson equations are solved numerically to obtain J-V characteristics and photoconversion efficiency of a two-junction solar cell. The cell consists of a top junction comprised of nanowires with bandgap of 1.7 eV grown on a bottom junction comprised of a Si substrate. The lattice relaxation possible in nanowires permits latticemismatched III-V material growth on Si, thereby achieving the optimum bandgaps in a two-junction cell. The model indicates a limiting efficiency of 42.3% under a concentration of 500 Suns (AM1.5D spectrum). This limiting efficiency is similar to that calculated for the planar lattice-matched triple-junction Ge/InGaAs/InGaP cell. Methods of fabricating the nanowire/Si cell are discussed including requirements for nanowire sidewall surface passivation.

Citation Download Citation

R. R. LaPierre "III-V nanowire solar cells", Proc. SPIE 8312, Display, Solid-State Lighting, Photovoltaics, and Optoelectronics in Energy III, 831203 (14 December 2011); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.906022

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