Chapter 13 - Multijunction solar cells based on III–V and II–VI semiconductors

Abstract

Recently, the renewable energy requirement is seriously increased due to environmental pollution and the depletion of fossil energy from the rapid growth of the population of the world and industrialization. Solar energy is an easily and freely available renewable energy resource, and also it is the most unlimited solution to the worldwide energy demand. Photovoltaic (PV) technology is receiving great interest in meeting human society’s energy requirements due to its direct conversion of solar energy into electrical energy. Among the different PV cells, the multijunction solar cells (MJSCs) based on III–V and II–VI semiconductors are among the most promising candidates due to their high conversion efficiency of over 40%, and hence are superior as compared with other traditional solar cells. The practical application of MJSCs is largely limited by their high manufacturing cost and low availability of their constituents. MJSCs are still playing a significant role because of the strong demand for high-performance PV devices in the energy market. So, it is an urgent task to design MJSCs with low manufacturing costs. In this chapter, we discussed the recent developments and technical progress of MJSCs based on the III–V and II–VI semiconductors. Also, we highlighted the existing scientific challenges for improving the photovoltaic performances of MJSCs. Finally, useful guidelines to design and built high-performance MJSCs have been provided.