Novel heterojunction bipolar transistor architectures for the practical implementation of high-efficiency three-terminal solar cells

• Published in: Solar energy materials and solar cells Vol. 194; pp. 54 - 61
• Main Authors: Linares, Pablo G., Antolín, Elisa, Martí, Antonio
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.06.2019; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: Amorphous silicon; Bipolar junction transistor; Computer architecture; Electronics; Electronics industry; Group III-V semiconductors; Heterojunction bipolar transistors; Heterostructures; Multijunction solar cells; Nanomaterials; Nanotechnology; Perovskites; Photovoltaic cells; Photovoltaics; Semiconductor devices; Silicon; Solar cells; Space applications; Spectral sensitivity; Three-terminal; Transistors; Tunnel junctions; Electronics; Bipolar junction transistor; Multijunction solar cells; Three-terminal; Photovoltaics
• ISSN: 0927-0248; 1879-3398
• DOI: 10.1016/j.solmat.2019.01.027

Practical device architectures are proposed here for the implementation of three-terminal heterojunction bipolar transistor solar cells (3T-HBTSCs). These photovoltaic devices, which have a potential efficiency similar to that of multijunction cells, exhibit reduced spectral sensitivity compared with monolithically and series-connected tandem solar cells. In addition, the simplified n-p-n (or p-n-p) structure does not require the use of tunnel junctions. In this framework, four architectures are proposed and discussed in this paper: 1) one in which the top cell is based on silicon and the bottom cell is based on a heterojunction between silicon and III-V nanomaterials; 2) one in which the top cell is made of amorphous silicon and the bottom cell is made of an amorphous silicon-silicon heterojunction; 3) one based on the use of III-V semiconductors aimed at space applications; and 4) one in which the top cell is based on a perovskite material and the bottom cell is made of a perovskite-silicon heterostructure. •Novel three-terminal solar cells presented resembling a heterojunction BJT.•Practical heterojunction bipolar transistor solar cell architectures designed.•Si, a-Si: H, III-Vs, nanomaterials and perovskites explored for their implementation.•Potential efficiencies similar to those of multijunction solar cells.•Simple structures, with reduced spectral sensitivity and increased robustness.