Luminescence coupling effects on multijunction solar cell external quantum efficiency measurement

ABSTRACT The effects of luminescence coupling on the external quantum efficiency (EQE) measurement of an InGaP/InGaAs/Ge triple junction solar cell were investigated. A small signal model was used to study the interaction of the subcells during EQE measurement. It was found that an optical–electrica...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Progress in photovoltaics 2013-05, Vol.21 (3), p.344-350
Main Authors: Lim, Swee Hoe, Li, Jing-Jing, Steenbergen, Elizabeth H., Zhang, Yong-Hang
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Applied sciences
electroluminescence
Energy
EQE
EQE, quantum efficiency
Exact sciences and technology
GaAs
GaAs, GaInP, Ge
GaInP
luminescence coupling
luminescence coupling, photon coupling, optical coupling
measurement artifact
multi-junction
Natural energy
optical coupling
photoluminescence
photon coupling
Photovoltaic conversion
quantum efficiency
small signal analysis
Solar cells. Photoelectrochemical cells
Solar energy
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Summary:ABSTRACT The effects of luminescence coupling on the external quantum efficiency (EQE) measurement of an InGaP/InGaAs/Ge triple junction solar cell were investigated. A small signal model was used to study the interaction of the subcells during EQE measurement. It was found that an optical–electrical feedback mechanism results in EQE measurement artifacts. Measurements of luminescence from the InGaP p–n junction are also performed to quantitatively determine the strength of the luminescence coupling. These results offer a more thorough and comprehensive interpretation of EQE measurement results that are needed for the design and accurate performance evaluation of high‐efficiency multijunction solar cells. The effects demonstrated here can also be used to measure the spontaneous emission efficiency of the subcells, which is useful for nondestructive assessment of multijunction solar cell material quality. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. The external quantum efficiency (EQE) of the InGaAs subcell of an InGaP/InGaAs/Ge multijunction solar cell was measured under varying light bias conditions. The effect of luminescence coupling due to radiative emission from the InGaP subcell caused artifacts in the InGaAs subcell EQE measurement. The effect was modeled using small signal analysis and measured by detecting the luminescence from the InGaP subcell to explain in detail the origin of this effect and how it affects the EQE measurement.
ISSN:1062-7995
1099-159X
DOI:10.1002/pip.1215