Objective
Multi-junction solar cell technology, based on III-V semiconductor structures grown onto Germanium substrates, is well established as the primary photovoltaic technology used in satellite power generation. As future satellite power requirements will significantly increase due to the adoption of technologies such as electrical propulsion, sensing and telecommunications, next generation space solar cells will be required to significantly increase their conversion efficiency to enable higher energy generation with minimal increase in overall system weight and cost. To this end, this proposal will develop multi-junction space solar cells on high quality, low cost, large area (150mm diameter) Germanium substrates, which will have conversion efficiencies >33% (AM0), utilising novel 4-Junction architectures. The process will adopt dilute nitride epitaxial technology that has been developed by Nanyang Technological University (1). To enable this, a powerful consortium has been assembled, which covers the entire skill set required to produce such cells, including substrate manufacture, advanced epitaxy, device design, device fabrication, test and qualification.
(1). Molecular beam epitaxy grown GaNAsSb 1 eV photovoltaic cell, K.H. Tan, S. Wicaksono, W.K. Loke, D. Li, S.F. Yoon, E.A. Fitzgerald, S.A. Ringel, J.S. Harris Jr, Journal of Crystal Growth 335, pp66-69, 2011.
Fields of science
- engineering and technologymaterials engineeringcrystals
- engineering and technologymechanical engineeringvehicle engineeringaerospace engineeringsatellite technology
- natural scienceschemical sciencesinorganic chemistrymetalloids
- engineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringinformation engineeringtelecommunications
- medical and health sciencesmedical biotechnologycells technologies
Programme(s)
Call for proposal
FP7-SPACE-2013-1
See other projects for this call
Funding Scheme
CP-FP - Small or medium-scale focused research projectCoordinator
CF3 0EG Cardiff
United Kingdom