Regular Article

Overview and loss analysis of III–V single-junction and multi-junction solar cells

¹ Toyota Technological Institute, Nagoya 468-8511, Japan
² Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE, Freiburg 79110, Germany
³ University of New South Wales, Sydney 2052, Australia

^* e-mail: masafumi@toyota-ti.ac.jp

Received: 2 June 2022
Received in final form: 26 July 2022
Accepted: 29 August 2022
Published online: 14 October 2022

Abstract

The development of high-performance solar cells offers a promising pathway toward achieving high power per unit cost for many applications. Because state-of-the-art efficiencies of single-junction solar cells are approaching the Shockley-Queisser limit, the multi-junction (MJ) solar cells are very attractive for high-efficiency solar cells. This paper reviews progress in III–V compound single-junction and MJ solar cells. In addition, analytical results for efficiency potential and non-radiative recombination and resistance losses in III–V compound single-junction and MJ solar cells are presented for further understanding and decreasing major losses in III–V compound materials and MJ solar cells. GaAs single-junction, III–V 2-junction and III–V 3-junction solar cells are shown to have potential efficiencies of 30%, 37% and 47%, respectively. Although in initial stage of developments, GaAs single-junction and III–V MJ solar cells have shown low ERE values, ERE values have been improved as a result of several technology development such as device structure and material quality developments. In the case of III–V MJ solar cells, improvements in ERE of sub-cells are shown to be necessary for further improvements in efficiencies of MJ solar cells.