SUPERSTRATE SUB-CELL VOLTAGE-MATCHED MULTIJUNCTION SOLAR CELLS

摘要

Voltage-matched thin film multijunction solar cell and methods of producing cells having upper CdTe pn junction layers formed on a transparent substrate which in the completed device is operatively positioned in a superstate configuration. The solar cell also includes a lower pn junction formed independently of the CdTe pn junction and an insulating layer between CdTe and lower pn junctions. The voltage-matched thin film multijunction solar cells further include a parallel connection between the CdTe pn junction and lower pn junctions to form a two-terminal photonic device. Methods of fabricating devices from independently produced upper CdTe junction layers and lower junction layers are also disclosed.

主权项

1. A voltage-matched multijunction solar cell comprising:
CdTe pn junction layers comprising a CdTe upper sub-cell; lower pn junction layers comprising a lower sub-cell; and a transparent insulating layer positioned between the upper sub-cell CdTe pn junction layers and the lower sub-cell pn junction layers; wherein the CdTe upper sub-cell further comprises a transparent superstrate positioned opposite the CdTe pn junction layers from the transparent insulating layer; and wherein serially connected strings of the CdTe upper sub-cells and serially connected strings of the lower sub-cells, each with substantially equivalent output voltage, are connected in parallel to form a two-terminal voltage matched solar cell.