GaInP/GaAs Tandem Solar Cells With InGaAs/GaAsP Multiple Quantum Wells

Lattice-matched multiple quantum wells (MQWs) consisting of In x Ga 1-x As wells with very thin GaAs 0.2 P 0.8 barriers have been incorporated into a GaInP/GaAs tandem solar cell. InGaAs/GaAsP MQWs increase the short-circuit current of the GaAs cell by extending the absorption range, with minimal impact on an open-circuit voltage, thus alleviating current matching restrictions placed by the GaAs cell on multijunction solar cells. MQWs with very thin, tensile strained, high phosphorus content GaAsP barriers allow tunneling to dominate carrier transport across the MQWs and balance the compressive strain of the InGaAs wells such that material quality remains high for subsequent top cell growth. We show that the addition of the QW layers enhances the GaAs cell, does not degrade the performance of the GaInP top cell, and leads to potential efficiency enhancements.