Richard W Huffman; Jr. (Richard W.Hoffman, Jr.), the patent application of pula Wen Pateer (Pravin Patel) and Tan Senwajisi (Tansen Varghese) to " grid design (GRID DESIGN FOR III-V COMPOUND SEMICONDUCTOR CELL) that is used for III-V compound semiconductor battery "
The utility model content
1. the purpose of the utility model
One purpose of the utility model provides a kind of improved III-V compound semiconductor multijunction solar cell that terrestrial power generation is used that is used for grid configuration, and it permits under the AM1.5D solar radiation, producing under the every solar illumination of solar cell the peak value DC power that every square centimeter of cell area surpasses 35 milliwatts.
One purpose of the utility model provides a kind of improved III-V compound semiconductor multijunction solar cell that is used for the space power generation applications with grid configuration, and it permits under the AM0 solar radiation, producing under the every solar illumination of solar cell the peak value DC power that every square centimeter of cell area surpasses 35 milliwatts.
Another purpose of the utility model is that a kind of lattice structure is provided on the front surface of III-V semiconductor solar cell, is used for the application of concentrator photovoltaic terrestrial power generation to hold high electric current.
Some embodiments can realize some purposes in the aforementioned purpose.
2. the characteristic of the utility model
Succinct and put it briefly, the utility model provides a kind of being used for to arrange that from the energy-producing concentrator photovoltaic solar cell of the sun said layout comprises: collector lens, and it is used to produce the optically focused degree greater than 500X; And solar cell, it is in the path of the light beam of being assembled, and said solar cell comprises: the germanium substrate, it comprises first photoresponsive junction and forms bottom solar energy subelement; The GaAs temporary location, it is placed on the said substrate; The InGaP top unit, it is placed on the said temporary location and has band gap so that the absorption maximization in the AM1.5 spectral regions; And be placed in the surface grid on the said top unit; It comprises a plurality of isolated gridlines; Wherein said gridline has the thickness greater than 7 microns, and each gridline has the cross section of trapezoidal shape, and wherein cross-sectional area is between 45 and 55 square microns.
In another aspect, the utility model provides a kind of and is used for from the energy-producing photovoltaic solar cell of the sun, and said photovoltaic solar cell comprises: the germanium substrate, and it comprises first photoresponsive junction and forms bottom solar energy subelement; The GaAs temporary location, it is placed on the said substrate; The InGaP top unit, it is placed on the said temporary location; And surface grid, it comprises a plurality of isolated gridlines, and wherein said gridline has the thickness greater than 7 microns, and each gridline has the cross section of trapezoidal shape, and wherein cross-sectional area is between 45 and 55 square microns.
In another aspect, the utility model provides a kind of being used for to arrange that from the energy-producing photovoltaic solar cell of the sun affiliated layout comprises: the germanium substrate, and it comprises first photoresponsive junction and forms bottom solar energy subelement; The GaAs temporary location, it is placed on the said substrate; The InGaP top unit, it is placed on the said temporary location; And surface grid, it is placed on the said top unit, comprises a plurality of isolated gridlines, and wherein said gridline has the thickness greater than 7 microns.
In certain embodiments, the surface grid line has trapezoidal cross sectional shape, and wherein the width at top place is that the width of about 4.5 microns and at is about 7 microns.
In certain embodiments, the surface grid line has about 100 microns center to center spacing.
In certain embodiments, the surface grid line is made up of a plurality of parallel gate rulings that cover top surface.
In certain embodiments, the surface grid line have the surface area that covers top unit at least 5% but be less than 10% total surface area of surface area.
In certain embodiments, the surface grid line has the total surface area of the comb mesh pattern that covers about 6% surface area.
In certain embodiments, solar cell has the open circuit voltage (V of at least 3.0 volts
Oc), the responsiveness under at least 0.13 ampere/watt the short-circuit condition, at least 0.70 fill factor (FF), and under the AM1.5D solar radiation, produce the peak value DC power of every square centimeter of cell area to surpass 35% transformation efficiency under every solar illumination above 35 milliwatts.
In certain embodiments, solar cell has the open circuit voltage (V of at least 3.0 volts
Oc), the responsiveness under at least 0.13 ampere/watt the short-circuit condition, at least 0.70 fill factor (FF), and under the AM0 solar radiation, produce the peak value DC power of every square centimeter of cell area to surpass 35% transformation efficiency under every solar illumination above 35 milliwatts.
In certain embodiments, the band gap of top, centre and bottom subelement is respectively 1.9 electron-volts, 1.4 electron-volts and 0.7 electron-volt.
In certain embodiments, the top subelement has the sheet resistance that is less than 300 ohm-sq.
In certain embodiments, the sheet resistance of top subelement is about 200 ohm-sq.
At some embodiment, be placed in the thickness that tunnel diode layers between the subelement of solar cell has the current density between 15 and 30 amperes/square centimeter of the diode that is suitable for supporting passing through tunnel.
Some embodiments of the utility model can be incorporated less aspect and the characteristic that has or implement to mention in the aforementioned utility model content into.
Embodiment
To describe the details of the utility model now, it comprises the exemplary aspect and the embodiment of the utility model.Referring to graphic and following description, use same reference numbers to refer to identical or on function similar elements, and same reference numbers is intended to the principal character with the graphic mode explanation example embodiment of high simplified.In addition, the relative size of the graphic element of not hoping to describe each characteristic of practical embodiments or being described, and not drawn on scale.
The 6th, 680, the typical semiconductor structure Design of three knot III-V compound semiconductor solar cells is more clearly described in No. 432 United States Patent (USP)s, said patent is incorporated herein by reference.
Such as in the illustrated instance of Fig. 1 displaying, bottom subelement 10 comprises the substrate 11,12 that is formed by p type germanium (" Ge "), base section is also as the basalis of subelement 10.Metal contact layer or fill up 50 and be formed on the bottom of basalis 11 is to provide electric contact to multijunction solar cell.Bottom subelement 10 further comprises (for example) n type Ge emitter region 12 and n type nucleating layer 13.Nucleating layer 13 is deposited on the substrate 11,12, and through dopant from upper layer to the Ge substrate diffusion and in the Ge substrate, form emitter layer 12, and then the top part 12 of p type germanium substrate is changed over n type district 12.Severe doped n type gallium arsenide layer 14 is deposited on the nucleating layer 13, and is the source of the arsenic dopant in the emitter region 12.
Although growth substrates and basalis 11 are preferably p type Ge growth substrates and basalis, other semi-conducting material also can be used as growth substrates and basalis, or only as growth substrates.The instance of these a little substrates comprises (but being not limited to) GaAs, InP, GaSb, InAs, InSb, GaP, Si, SiGe, SiC, Al
2O
3, Mo, stainless steel, soda-lime glass (soda-lime glass) and SiO
2
Severe doped p type aluminum gallium arsenide (" AlGaAs ") and (" GaAs ") wear tunnel knot layer (tunneling junction layer) 14,15 and can be deposited on the nucleating layer 13, to form tunnel diode and between bottom subelement and dynatron unit 20, low resistance path to be provided.
Dynatron unit 20 comprises the p type aluminum gallium arsenide (" AlGaAs ") of high doped and carries on the back n type the InGaP (" InGaP of surface field (" BSF ") layer 16, p type InGaAs basalis 17, high doped
2") n type the indium phosphide aluminium (" AlInP of emitter layer 18 and high doped
2") Window layer 19.
Window layer has the doping type identical with emitter usually, but has the doping content more high than emission.In addition, Window layer usually need have the band gap more high than emission, so that suppress minority carrier photoproduction (photogeneration) and injection in the window, and then reduces the reorganization that originally will in Window layer, take place.Note; Multiple different semi-conducting material can be used for window, emitter, substrate and/or the BSF layer of photovoltaic cell, and said semi-conducting material comprises AlInP, AlAs, AlP, AlGaInP, AlGaAsP, AlGaInAs, AlGaInPAs, GaInP, GaInAs, GaInPAs, AlGaAs, AlInAs, AlInPAs, GaAsSb, AlAsSb, GaAlAsSb, AlInSb, GaInSb, AlGaInSb, AlN, GaN, InN, GaInN, AlGaInN, GaInNAs, AlGaInNAs, ZnSSe, CdSSe and other material and still drops in the spirit of the utility model.
The InGaAs basalis 17 of dynatron unit 20 can comprise the indium of (for example) about 1.5%.Also can use other composition.BSF be deposited upon bottom subelement 10 wear on the tunnel knot layer 14,15 after, basalis 17 is formed on the BSF layer 16.
Provide BSF layer 16 to reduce the reorganization loss in the dynatron unit 20.Said BSF layer 16 is from driving minority carrier near back of the body surface height doped region, so that the influence of reorganization loss minimizes.Therefore, BSF layer 16 reduces the reorganization loss at the dorsal part place of solar cells, and and then reduces the reorganization at basalis/place, BSF bed boundary.After the emitter layer deposition, Window layer 19 is deposited on the emitter layer 18 of dynatron unit 20.The passivation that Window layer 19 in the dynatron unit 20 also helps to reduce the reorganization loss and improves the cell surface of the knot that underlies.
Before the layer of deposition top unit 30, severe doped n type InAlP
2With p type InGaP
2Wear tunnel knot layer 21,22 and can be deposited on the dynatron unit 20 respectively, thereby form tunnel diode.
In the embodiment of high optically focused degree earthbound solar energy battery, be placed in the thickness that tunnel diode layers between the subelement has the current density between 15 and 30 amperes/square centimeter of the diode that is suitable for supporting passing through tunnel.
In illustrated instance, top subelement 30 comprises p type InGaP aluminium (" InGaAlP ") BSF layer 23, the p type InGaP of high doped
2The n type InGaP of basalis 24, high doped
2The n type InAlP of emitter layer 25 and high doped
2Window layer 26.BSF layer 23 be formed at dynatron unit 20 wear on the tunnel knot layer 21,22 after, the basalis 24 of top subelement 30 is deposited on the BSF layer 23.After emitter layer 25 was formed on the basalis 24, Window layer 26 was deposited on the emitter layer 25 of top subelement.Cap (cap layer) 27 can deposit and be patterned is the independent contact zone on the Window layer 26 of top subelement 30.
Cap 27 as from the top subelement 30 to the electric contact of metal gate compartment 40.The sheet resistance of top unit is less than 300 ohm-sq, and it is about 200 ohm-sq centimetre in certain embodiments.Cap 27 through mixing can be semiconductor layer, for example, and GaAs or InGaAs layer.Also can ARC 28 be provided between the contact zone of cap 27 on the surface of Window layer 26.
Gridline 40 in the prior art solar cell is extending between two buses (bus bar) on the opposite side of battery usually.In the prior art, gridline has 5 microns or littler thickness or height usually, about 5 microns width and about 100 microns spacing (that is, be close between the center of gridline distance).The total surface area of comb mesh pattern cover top unit surface area 5.0% and 10.0% between.
Such as in the illustrated instance of Fig. 2 displaying, the solar cell of the utility model has identical with the solar cell of Fig. 1 in fact semiconductor layer 11 to 27, metal contact layer 50 and ARC 28, and does not need this description of repetition here.
In some embodiment of the utility model, gridline is extending between two buses on the opposite side of battery.In certain embodiments, each gridline can have the cross section of trapezoidal shape, and wherein cross-sectional area is between 45 and 55 square microns, so the size of each conductor is suitable for conducting the high relatively electric current that under high optically focused degree, is formed by solar cell.
It is 7 microns or bigger thickness or height that gridline has, about 5 microns width and about 100 microns spacing (that is, be close between the center of gridline distance).In certain embodiments, gridline has trapezoidal cross sectional shape, and wherein the width at top place is that the width of about 4.5 microns and at is about 7 microns.
The total surface area of comb mesh pattern cover top unit surface area 5.0% and 10.0% between.Comb mesh pattern and linear dimension high relatively electric current through selecting to produce by solar cell with delivery.In certain embodiments, 6% of the surface area of the total surface area of comb mesh pattern covering top unit.
In certain embodiments, for example use for terrestrial power generation, collector lens 60 or other optics can be placed in the top of solar cell and in order on the surface of said battery, incident daylight is focused on 500X or bigger enlargement ratio.
In certain embodiments, the solar cell of gained has 1.9 electron-volts, 1.4 electron-volts and 0.7 electron-volt band gap to top, centre and bottom subelement.In certain embodiments, by the daylight of assembling when surpassing 500 times of illuminations, solar cell has the open circuit voltage (V of at least 3.0 volts
Oc), the responsiveness under at least 0.13 ampere/watt the short-circuit condition, at least 0.70 fill factor (FF) and air quality 1.5 (AM1.5D) or be in the efficient of at least 35% under 25 degrees centigrade the similar ground spectrum so that produce the peak value DC power that every square centimeter of cell area surpasses 35 milliwatts.
Fig. 3 is illustrated in the curve chart that the solar battery efficiency under 500 solar illuminations changes along with gridline thickness under the situation of AM1.5D spectrum and one square centimeter of solar cell surface area.This type of solar cell (being labeled as model C TJ) is suitable for the Ground Application in the concentrator photovoltaic system, and said Ground Application uses lens or other optics on said battery, to focus on the sun light beam of incident with 500 times or bigger enlargement ratio.Use thick gridline (for example, thickness is 7 microns or bigger) to realize the essential improvement of battery efficiency.The restriction of photoetching and processing Consideration can make and from the position of production or reliability, use current production technology to realize that the grid thickness (that is, ten microns or bigger) of curve chart higher-end is less feasible, but this should not damage the teaching of the utility model.
Fig. 4 is illustrated in the curve chart that the solar battery efficiency under next solar illuminations of situation of AM0 spectrum and 60 square centimeters of surface areas changes along with gridline thickness.This type of solar cell (being labeled as model ZTJ) is suitable for the SPACE APPLICATION in the photovoltaic system, and said SPACE APPLICATION is operated (that is, not using the amplification of incident sun light beam) with a solar illumination.Use thick gridline (for example, thickness is 7 microns or bigger) to realize the essential improvement of battery efficiency.The restriction of photoetching and processing Consideration can make and from the position of production or reliability, use current production technology to realize that the grid thickness (that is, ten microns or bigger) of curve chart higher-end is less feasible, but this should not damage the teaching of the utility model.