Design of an intermediate Bragg reflector within triple-junction solar cells for spectrum splitting applications
File(s)Bragg Reflector SOLMAT.pdf (1.79 MB)
Accepted version
Author(s)
Jiang, Y
Keevers, MJ
Pearce, P
Ekins-Daukes, N
Green, MA
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
We investigate the use of distributed Bragg reflectors (DBRs) within triple-junction solar cells (TJSC) for spectrum splitting photovoltaics. An optical model of a lattice-matched (LM) GaInP/GaInAs/Ge TJSC with intermediate DBR is developed, in good agreement with measured reflectance. By modifying the DBR layer number, composition and thickness to broaden the reflectance band, we show that a DBR can provide suitable 900–1050 nm reflectance for spectrum splitting from the LM TJSC to a Si cell, resulting in a more efficient 4-junction receiver. For better practicality and cost effectiveness, we propose that the buffer layers in metamorphic (MM) TJSCs could additionally function as a DBR for spectrum splitting applications. We propose several DBR designs to achieve a suitable spectrum-splitting reflectance band from MM TJSCs to a Si cell, again resulting in a more efficient 4-junction receiver. Finally, we show that our intermediate DBR approach to spectrum splitting has the advantage of a greatly reduced angle-of-incidence dependence compared to a discrete dielectric filter.
Date Issued
2019-05-01
Date Acceptance
2019-01-08
Citation
Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, 2019, 193, pp.259-269
ISSN
0927-0248
Publisher
Elsevier
Start Page
259
End Page
269
Journal / Book Title
Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells
Volume
193
Copyright Statement
© 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. This manuscript is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Licence http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
Subjects
09 Engineering
03 Chemical Sciences
02 Physical Sciences
Energy
Publication Status
Published
Date Publish Online
2019-01-23