State-of-the-art Architectures and Technologies of High-Efficiency Solar Cells Based on III–V Heterostructures for Space and Terrestrial Applications

Abstract

Multi-junction solar cells based on III–V compounds are the most efficient converters of solar energy to electricity and are widely used in space solar arrays and terrestrial photovoltaic modules with sunlight concentrators. All modern high-efficiency III–V solar cells are based on the long-developed triple-junction III–V GaInP/GaInAs/Ge heterostructure and have an almost limiting efficiency for a given architecture — 30 and 41.6% for space and terrestrial concentrated radiations, respectively. Currently, an increase in efficiency is achieved by converting from the 3-junction to the more efficient 4-, 5-, and even 6-junction III–V architectures: growth technologies and methods of post-growth treatment of structures have been developed, new materials with optimal bandgaps have been designed, and crystallographic parameters have been improved. In this review, we consider recent achievements and prospects for the main directions of research and improvement of architectures, technologies, and materials used in laboratories to develop solar cells with the best conversion efficiency: 35.8% for space, 38.8% for terrestrial, and 46.1% for concentrated sunlight. It is supposed that by 2020, the efficiency will approach 40% for direct space radiation and 50% for concentrated terrestrial solar radiation. This review considers the architecture and technologies of solar cells with record-breaking efficiency for terrestrial and space applications. It should be noted that in terrestrial power plants, the use of III–V SCs is economically advantageous in systems with sunlight concentrators.