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Recent advances in high‐efficiency III – V multi‐junction solar cells for space applications: ultra triple junction qualification
Author(s) -
Yoon Hojun,
Granata Jennifer E.,
Hebert Peter,
King Richard R.,
Fetzer Christopher M.,
Colter Peter C.,
Edmondson Kenneth M.,
Law Daniel,
Kinsey Geoffrey S.,
Krut Dmitri D.,
Ermer James H.,
Gillanders Mark S.,
Karam Nasser H.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
progress in photovoltaics: research and applications
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.286
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1099-159X
pISSN - 1062-7995
DOI - 10.1002/pip.610
Subject(s) - triple junction , optoelectronics , energy conversion efficiency , materials science , p–n junction , engineering physics , physics , semiconductor
Recent advances in Spectrolab's high efficiency III – V multi‐junction space solar cells are reported. The latest generation GaInP/GaAs/Ge solar cells under production—the Ultra Triple Junction (UTJ)—have an average efficiency at maximum power of 28.0% (AM0, 28°C, 135.3 mW/cm 2 ) at beginning of life (BOL), and 22.6% at 60°C at end of life (EOL, 15 years in GEO orbit). This represents a 5.5% relative higher efficiency at EOL, compared with the previous generation Improved Triple Junction (ITJ) cells. The P/P 0 —for 1 MeV electrons after 10 15 cm −2 fluence has also improved to 0.86, compared with 0.84 for the ITJ cells. These and other performance results of UTJ solar cells are reviewed in comparison with ITJ solar cells. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.