Advances in Flexible and Lightweight III-V Multijunction Solar Cells for High Power Densities

We are developing flexible and lightweight III-V multijuntion solar cells for high power density applications. Our approach to achieve a goal of 3 kW/kg is based on 3J inverted metamorphic solar cells. In addition, we are developing lower-cost designs, targeting 1 kW/kg, based on GaInP/Ga(In)As/Ge 3J lattice matched solar cells. In this paper we present the advances in the modelling, manufacturing and simulation of this last type of solar cell. Preliminary results show that the 3J thinned solar cell exhibits an efficiency which is the 91% of the efficiency achieved by the non-thinned 3J solar cell.