'Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI)'
Doi
Abstract
Final Technical Progress Report for PV Incubator subcontract NAT-0-99013-03. The overall objective of this Incubator subcontract was to complete the work necessary to make commercial ready solar cells using the dilute nitride technology. The specific objectives of this program were aimed at completing the development of a triple-junction solar cell that incorporates a GaInNAs {approx}1eV subcell to the point of commercial readiness, and determining the cell reliability and, if necessary, identifying and eliminating process or material related issues that lead to early-life cell failures. There were three major objectives for Phase 1, each of which focuses on a key element of the solar cell that determines its performance in a commercial CPV system. One objective was to optimize the quality and performance of the key individual components making up the solar cell structure and then to optimize the integration of these components into a complete triple-junction cell. A second objective was to design and test anti-reflective coating that maximizes the light coupled into a 3J cell with a {approx}1 eV bottom cell bandgap. The third objective was to develop Highly Accelerated Life Tests (HALT) protocols and tools for identifying and correcting potential reliability problems. The Phase 2 objectives were a continuation of the work begun in Phase 1 but aimed at optimizing cell performance for commercial requirements. Phase 2 had four primary objectives: (1) develop a glass-matched anti-reflective coating (ARC) and optimize the cell/ARC to give good performance at 60C operating temperature, (2) optimize the cell for good operation at 60C and high concentration, and (3) complete the light biased HALT system and use it to determine what, if any, failures are observed, and (4) determine the reliability limits of the optimized cell
