Four Junction Inverted Metamorphic Multijunction Solar Cell with a Single Metamorphic Layer

Abstract

A multijunction solar cell including an upper first solar subcell having a first band gap; a second solar subcell adjacent to the first solar subcell and having a second band gap smaller than the first band gap; a graded interlayer adjacent to the second solar subcell; the first graded interlayer having a third band gap greater than the second band gap; and a third solar subcell adjacent to the graded interlayer, the third subcell having a fourth band gap smaller than the second band gap such that the third subcell is lattice mismatched with respect to the second subcell. A lower fourth solar subcell is provided adjacent to the third subcell and lattice matched thereto, the lower fourth subcell having a fifth band gap smaller than the fourth band gap.

Description

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application is related to co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12 / 389,053 filed Feb. 19, 2009.[0002]This application is related to co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12 / 367,991 filed Feb. 9, 2009.[0003]This application is related to co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12 / 362,201, Ser. No. 12 / 362,213, and Ser. No. 12 / 362,225 filed Jan. 29, 2009.[0004]This application is related to co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12 / 337,014 and Ser. No. 12 / 337,043 filed Dec. 17, 2008.[0005]This application is related to co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12 / 267,812 filed Nov. 10, 2008.[0006]This application is related to co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12 / 258,190 filed Oct. 24, 2008.[0007]This application is related to co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12 / 253,051 filed Oct. 16, 2008.[0008]This application is related to co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12 / 190,449, filed Aug. 12, 200...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0031]Briefly, and in general terms, the present invention provides a multijunction solar cell including an upper first solar subcell having a first band gap; a second solar subcell adjacent to said first solar subcell and having a second band gap smaller than said first band gap; a first graded interlayer adjacent to said second solar subcell; said first graded interlayer having a third band gap greater than said second band gap; and a third solar subcell adjacent to said first graded interlayer, said third subcell having a fourth band gap smaller than said second band gap such that said third subcell is lattice mismatched with respect to said second subcell; a second graded interlayer adjacent to said third solar subcell; said second graded interlayer having a fifth band gap greater than said fourth band gap; and a lower fourth solar subcell adjacent to said second graded interlayer, said lower subcell having a sixth band gap smaller than said fourth band gap such that said fourth subcell is lattice mismatched with respect to said third subcell.

[0032]In another aspect the present invention provides a method of manufacturing a solar ce

Problems solved by technology

Compared to silicon, III-V compound semiconductor multijunction devices have greater energy conversion efficiencies and generally more radiation resistance, although they tend to be more complex to manufacture.

However, the

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