Over 30% efficient InGaP/GaAs tandem solar cells

A two-terminal monolithic InGaP/GaAs tandem solar cell with a new efficiency record of 30.28% is realized with a practical large area of 4 cm(2) under one-sun air-mass 1.5 global illumination. We report improvements of the tandem cell performance by introducing a double-hetero (hereafter DH) structure InGaP tunnel junction, in which the InGaP layers are surrounded by high band gap AlInP barriers. The DH structure by AlInP barriers increase the peak current of InGaP tunnel junction. The AlInP barrier directly below the InGaP top cell, which takes the part of a back surface field (hereafter BSF) layer, is found to be considerably effective in reflecting minority carriers in the top cell. The AlInP BSF layer does not only form a high potential barrier but also prevents the diffusion of zinc from a high doped tunnel junction toward the top cell during epitaxial growth. Furthermore, an InGaP tunnel junction reduces the absorption loss, which exists in a GaAs tunnel junction, and increases the photogenerated current in the GaAs bottom cell. (C) 1997 American Institute of Physics.