IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,997,659
Granted Patent B2
US 9,997,659 · App. 13/617,316 · Granted Jun 12, 2018

Group-IV solar cell structure using group-IV or III-V heterostructures

Inventors: Richard R. King (Thousand Oaks, CA); Christopher M. Fetzer (Valencia, CA); Nasser H. Karam (La Canada, CA)
Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
H01L31/0725H01L31/0687H01L31/074H01L31/078H01L31/0745Y02E10/544
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,997,659
App. No.
13/617,316
Granted
Jun 12, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

Device structures, apparatuses, and methods are disclosed for photovoltaic cells that may be a single junction or multijunction solar cells, with at least a first layer comprising a group-IV semiconductor in which part of the cell comprises a second layer comprising a III-V semiconductor or group-IV semiconductor having a different composition than the group-IV semiconductor of the first layer, such that a heterostructure is formed between the first and second layers.

Claims (57)

1. A photovoltaic cell comprising:

a first layer comprising a group-IV emitter layer having a doping type selected from the group consisting of: p-type doping and n-type doping; and

a second layer comprising III-V tunnel junction layers with opposite doping type relative to the first layer,

wherein a p-n junction is formed at the heterojunction between the first and second layers.

2. The photovoltaic cell of claim 1 , further comprising:

a base layer;

wherein a photogenerated current density in the emitter layer is greater than a photogenerated current density in the base layer.

3. The photovoltaic cell of claim 1 , further comprising:

an n-type emitter layer comprising a group-IV element selected from the group consisting of: Ge, Si, SiGe, CGe, GeSn, SiGeSn, CSiGeSn, and combinations thereof; and

a p-type III-V semiconductor layer selected from the group consisting of: a base layer, a back-surface-field layer, and or back-heterostructure layer, said p-type III-V semiconductor layer made from a material selected from the group consisting of: GaAs, AlGaAs, GalnAs, AlGaInAs, InP, GaP, GaInP, GaInPAs, AlInP, AlGaInP, InAs, InPAs, AlInAs, AlAs, GaSb, GaAsSb, InSb, GaInAsSb, GaInNAs, GaInNAsSb, GaN, AN, InN, GaInN, AlGaN, AlInN, AlGaInN, and combinations thereof.

4. The photovoltaic cell of claim 1 , further comprising:

an n-type emitter layer comprising a group-IV element selected from the group consisting of: Ge, Si, SiGe, CGe, GeSn, SiGeSn, CSiGeSn, and combinations thereof; and

a p-type group-IV semiconductor base layer selected from the group consisting of: Ge, Si, SiGe, CGe, GeSn, SiGeSn, CSiGeSn, and combinations thereof;

wherein the composition of the n-type emitter and p-type base layer differs.

5. The photovoltaic cell of claim 1 , wherein the III-V tunnel junction layers are formed from a material selected from the group consisting of: GaAs, AlGaAs, GaInAs, AlGaInAs, InP, GaP, GaInP, GaInPAs, AlInP, AlGaInP, InAs, InPAs, AlInAs, AlAs, GaSb, GaAsSb, InSb, GaInAsSb, GaInNAs, GaInNAsSb, GaN, AN, InN, GaInN, AlGaN, AlInN, AlGaInN, and combinations thereof.

6. The photovoltaic cell of claim 1 , wherein the III-V tunnel junction layers are selected from the group consisting of:

p+GaAs/n+GaAs tunnel junctions;

p+AlGaAs/n+GaAs tunnel junctions;

p+GaAs/n+AlGaAs tunnel junctions;

p+AlGaAs/n+AlGaAs tunnel junctions;

p+AlGaAs/n+GaInP tunnel junctions;

p+AlGaAs/n+AlGaInP tunnel junctions; and

p+AlGaInP/n+AlGaInP tunnel junctions.

7. The photovoltaic cell of claim 1 , wherein the emitter layer is doped with an element selected from the group consisting of: a column-III element and a column-V element.

8. The photovoltaic cell of claim 1 , wherein at least one column-IV element included in the emitter layer dopes one or more of the III-V tunnel junction layers.

9. A vehicle comprising the photovoltaic cell of claim 1 .

10. An energy storage system comprising the photovoltaic cell of claim 1 .

11. An energy generation system comprising the photovoltaic cell of claim 1 .

12. A method for energy generation comprising the steps of:

providing a photovoltaic cell comprising:

a first layer comprising a group-IV emitter layer having a doping type selected from the group consisting of: p-type doping and n-type doping; and

a second layer comprising III-V tunnel junction layers with opposite doping type relative to the first layer;

wherein a p-n junction is formed at a heterojunction between the first and second layers.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising the step of:

providing a base layer;

wherein a photogenerated current density in the emitter layer is greater than a photogenerated current density in the base layer.

14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising the steps of:

providing a n-type emitter layer comprising a group-IV element selected from the group consisting of: Ge, Si, SiGe, CGe, GeSn, SiGeSn, CSiGeSn and combinations thereof; and

providing a p-type III-V semiconductor base layer made from a material selected from the group consisting of: GaAs, AlGaAs, GaInAs, AlGaInAs, InP, GaP, GaInP, GaInPAs, AlInP, AlGaInP, InAs, InPAs, AlInAs, AlAs, GaSb, GaAsSb, InSb, GaInAsSb, GaInNAs, GaInNAsSb, GaN, AN, InN, GaInN, AlGaN, AlInN, AlGaInN, and combinations thereof.

15. The method of claim 12 , further comprising the steps of:

providing a n-type emitter layer comprising a group-IV element selected from the group consisting of: Ge, Si, SiGe, CGe, GeSn, SiGeSn, CSiGeSn, and combinations thereof; and

providing a p-type group-IV semiconductor base layer selected from the group consisting of: Ge, Si, SiGe, CGe, GeSn, SiGeSn, CSiGeSn, and combinations thereof;

wherein the composition of the n-type emitter and p-type base layer differs.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the III-V tunnel junction layers are formed from a material selected from the group consisting of: GaAs, AlGaAs, GaInAs, AlGaInAs, InP, GaP, GaInP, GaInPAs, AlInP, AlGaInP, InAs, InPAs, AlInAs, AlAs, GaSb, GaAsSb, InSb, GaInAsSb, GaInNAs, GaInNAsSb, GaN, AN, InN, GaInN, AlGaN, AlInN, AlGaInN, and combinations thereof.

17. The method of claim 12 , wherein the III-V tunnel junction layers are selected from the group consisting of:

p+GaAs/n+GaAs tunnel junctions;

p+AlGaAs/n+GaAs tunnel junctions;

p+GaAs/n+AlGaAs tunnel junctions;

p+AlGaAs/n+AlGaAs tunnel junctions;

p+AlGaAs/n+GaInP tunnel junctions;

p+AlGaAs/n+AlGaInP tunnel junctions; and

p+AlGaInP/n+AlGaInP tunnel junctions.

18. The method of claim 12 , wherein said emitter layer is doped with an element selected from the group consisting of: a column-III element and a column-V element.

19. The method of claim 12 , wherein at least one column-IV element included in the emitter layer dopes one or more of the III-V tunnel junction layers.

20. A vehicle comprising the photovoltaic cell made according to claim 12 .

21. An energy storage system comprising the photovoltaic cell made according to claim 12 .

22. An energy generation system comprising the photovoltaic cell made according to claim 12 .

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 20, 2012
From: KING, RICHARD R.; KARAM, NASSER H.; FETZER, CHRISTOPHER M.
To: THE BOEING COMPANY
Reel/Frame 028994/0025 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20140076387A1 · Mar 20, 2014